Leonardo DiCaprio could be banned from Indonesia following comments he made about the destruction of the country's rainforests to make way for palm oil plantations.
The Oscar winning actor and environmentalist posted photos of his trip to Indonesia on Instagram and Twitter, explaining how the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan is being pushed to "the brink of extinction".
The 41-year-old said that the species was under threat due to the forest being cleared to "meet the demand for palm oil".
In an Instagram post published on Thursday, which has been 'liked' more than 452,000 times, DiCaprio wrote: "If we don't stop this rampant destruction, the Leuser Ecosystem and the Sumatran orangutans that call it home could be lost forever."
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
Two days previously, DiCaprio also posted his concerns of what palm oil plantations are doing to the critically endangered Sumatran elephant.
He wrote: "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 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
It has since been revealed that DiCaprio's comments could get him banned from entering Indonesia in the future.
If his comments were considered to be "incitement" or "provocation" then he could be blacklisted, Heru Santoso, spokesperson for the director general of immigration department, told the BBC.
Santoso said: "In terms of [his] visa and immigration permit, Leonardo DiCaprio did not do anything wrong: He entered and left Indonesia legally. But, we still investigate."
He added: "If DiCaprio's posting in his social media can be categorised as incitement or provocation, we can blacklist him from coming back to Indonesia."
Local campaigners have thanked DiCaprio for supporting their conservation efforts.
Thank you @LeoDiCaprio for supporting us at SOCP and dropping past to witness some of our refugees from Aceh... https://t.co/lNhsBHHi9s
— SOCP (@socp_tweets) March 31, 2016
DiCaprio used his Oscar win last month as an opportunity to warn the world about climate change.
He said: "Making 'The Revenant' was about man's relationship to the natural world in 2015, the hottest year in history.
"Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to stop procrastinating, we need to support leaders around the world who speak for all of humanity, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people, for our children's children, and for those whose voices who have been drowned out by the politics of greed.
"Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take this award for granted."
-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.