Leonardo DiCaprio and Vladimir Putin team to save the tiger

[marmar]

from the Independent UK:


The unlikely pairing of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio emerged this week as they became figureheads in the battle to save the tiger at a summit in St Petersburg.

The forum was described as the "last chance" for the world's biggest cat. Mr Putin hosted the conference to discuss a World Bank proposal for a tiger-saving initiative. It was the first time global leaders have met specifically to talk about saving an endangered species.

The goal is to double the number of tigers in the wild by 2022, the next Chinese Year of the Tiger. Currently there are just 3,200 wild tigers, down from over 100,000 a century ago. Stocks of the animal have been depleted due to poachers, who sell their skins and body parts at markets in China and other Asian countries, and by urbanisation destroying their natural habitats.

Mr DiCaprio, a board member of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), travelled to St Petersburg for the forum and pledged $1m (£634,000) of his own money to the organisation's tiger-conservation programmes. The actor recently visited Nepal and Bhutan, touring tiger habitats with WWF experts and local anti-poaching authorities. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/dicaprio-putin-and-the-allstar-plot-to-save-tigers-2143085.html

[PeaceNikki]

1. *swoon*

I love Leo. :loveya:

k&r

[-..__...]

2. Putin is one badass muthafucker...

[donheld]

5. These were taken before

he knew Sarah could see him from her house. :D

[BlancheSplanchnik]

3. Yay! Kick!! Rec!

YAYYY for human beings with a conscience and the opportunity to act on it in a big way.

YAYYYY!!! :)

[lunatica]

4. Leo Dicaprio, beautiful on the inside as well as the outside

I have a great deal of admiration for him.

[burrowowl]

6. Here is hoping the tiger can be saved!