Courtesy: i.guim.co.uk
It seems Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio, whose heart bleeds for the environment, has irked the Indonesian government, with his criticism of the country’s palm oil industry, during his recent visit to the country.
The lowland #rainforest of the Leuser Ecosystem are considered the world’s best remaining habitat for the critically endangered Sumatran #elephant. In these forests, ancient elephant migratory paths are still used by some of the last #wild herds of Sumatran elephants. But the expansion of Palm Oil plantations is fragmenting the #forest and cutting off key elephant migratory corridors, making it more difficult for elephant families to find adequate sources of food and water. The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation is supporting local partners to establish a mega-fauna sanctuary in the Leuser Ecosystem, last place on Earth where Sumatran orangutans, tigers, rhinos and elephants coexist in the wild. Click the link in the bio to stand with @haka_sumatra as they fight to protect the Leuser Ecosystem. #SaveLeuserEcosystem #Indonesia
A photo posted by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio) on
Mar 28, 2016 at 6:22pm PDT
While DiCaprio advocated for the protection of the flora and fauna of the region during his recent visit, the Indonesian government did not seem to take it very well and threatened to deport Leonardo DiCaprio. However, the story is that DiCaprio had left the country by then.
DiCaprio, who has been campaigning for the environment, apparently posted a photograph on his Instagram account, highlighting the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation’s plans to establish a mega-fauna sanctuary with a local partner in the Leuser rainforest ecosystem, a lowland Sumatran national park, in which palm oil plantations, mining, logging and other developments are endangering local populations of the Sumatran elephants, orangutans, rhinos and tigers.
Apparently, palm oil production is a leading economic resource in Indonesia. But its production poses a threat to the rainforest in the country. According to several reports, deforestation has claimed a minimum of 8 million hectares of forest land in Indonesia, threatening the flora and fauna of the region.
As the forest of the #Indonesian #LeuserEcosystem continues to be cleared to meet demand for Palm Oil, the critically endangered Sumatran #orangutan is being pushed to the brink of extinction. Here, at the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme’s Orangutan Quarantine Center, rescued orangutans are rehabilitated so they can be released back into the wild. If we don’t stop this rampant destruction, the Leuser Ecosystem and the Sumatran orangutans that call it home could be lost forever. Click the link in the bio to support this important work. #Indonesia
A photo posted by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio) on
Mar 31, 2016 at 6:52am PDT
DiCaprio wrote in his post, “The expansion of palm oil plantations is fragmenting the #forest and cutting off key elephant migratory corridors, making it more difficult for elephant families to find adequate sources of food and water’.
The actor’s presence in Indonesia, it appears, was not taken well by the ministers, who consider the Hollywood star as a troublemaker.
Ronny Sompie, immigration director-general, Indonesia said, “If there are statements that discredit the government and the interests of Indonesia, he could be deported. He also said that the actor’s tourist visa limited him to excursions only.
He further added: “If he is in Indonesia for other purposes, by engaging in activities that disrupt public order and harm the interests of Indonesia, immigration authorities are ready to deport him.”
However, by the time this announcement was made, the actor had already left the country.
A world-class biodiversity hotspot, the #Indonesian Leuser Ecosystem is one of the most important areas of intact #rainforest left in Southeast Asia. Its forests are home to the densest remaining populations of the critically endangered Sumatran #orangutan. But Palm Oil expansion is destroying this unique place. Now is the time to save the Leuser Ecosystem. We must develop a permanent solution to protect and restore this valuable natural asset. Click the link in the bio to stand up and #SaveLeuserEcosystem. #Indonesia
A photo posted by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio) on
Mar 29, 2016 at 9:21am PDT
DiCaprio’s foundation was founded in 1998 and will partner with conservationist Rudi Putra to build a wildlife sanctuary in the area of 6.5m acre of Leuser ecosystem, constructing barriers, training wildlife patrols and rangers and, reporting habitat destruction.
The actor has been in Asia in recent weeks to promote his role in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Oscar-winning western The Revenant, which debuted in China and Japan last month.
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