Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is known to be an environmental crusader and his latest initiative is sure to make everyone beam with pride. The actor in association with Galapagos National Park Directorate, Island Conservation and Re:wild have announced $43 million to support an initiative to restore and rewild the Galapagos Islands, building on decades of local conservation efforts, a press statement said.
Re:wild, a new global environmental organisation launched today, is poised to help build a world in balance with the wild, starting with its first major commitment: Working with the Galapagos National Park Directorate, Island Conservation, and local communities, on a bold initiative to protect and rewild the Galápagos.
The initiative, building on the decades of work by local partners and communities, aims to rewild the Galapagos Islands and beyond at a scale never before attempted–across all of Latin America’s Pacific archipelagos, from Mexico down to Chile. Rewilding, a positive reframing for nature conservation, involves holistic solutions to remove barriers and reestablish vibrant wildlife populations and intact, functional, and resilient ecosystems that effectively integrate people.
Leo, took to Twitter, and in a series of tweets, wrote –
More than half of Earth’s remaining wild areas could disappear in the next few decades if we don’t decisively act. This is why today I am excited to launch @Rewild - to help protect what’s still wild and restore the rest.
Re:wild begins with a $43m commitment to rewild the Galapagos, to bring the Pink Iguana, the Floreana Giant Tortoise and the Floreana Mockingbird back from the brink of extinction, and to ensure the people of the Galápagos thrive with the wild.
When I travelled to the Galápagos Islands, I met with Paula A. Castaño from Island Conservation (@NoExtinctions), who works day in and day out to help save one of the most irreplaceable places on the planet. Later today, Paula will be taking over my Twitter account using Fleets to share more about her team’s rewilding efforts in the Galápagos. (sic)