ASTANA – Leonardo DiCaprio, renowned Hollywood actor and environmentalist, congratulated the Kazakh government on the conservation success of the saiga population on his Instagram page on Dec. 25.
Leonardo DiCaprio. Photo credit: zakon.kz
This comes as the antelope species is reclassified from critically endangered to near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
DiCaprio highlighted the unprecedented recovery of saiga populations in Kazakhstan, noting that from a mere 48,000 individuals in 2005, the species has now grown to over 1.9 million in the wild.
“Congrats to the government of Kazakhstan, which invested heavily in anti-poaching initiatives, robust law enforcement, and the establishment of new protected areas,” he wrote.
Photo credit: Andrey Gilev
The actor praised the government’s collaborative efforts with conservation organizations, universities, and scientists, which led to true conservation triumph.
DiCaprio regularly channels significant funds towards addressing climate change and planetary pollution. Throughout his career, he has supported more than 200 projects focused on protecting wildlife from destruction while restoring the balance of ecosystems and communities.
