American actor and activist Leonardo DiCaprio has donated US$1 million (€746,000) to the WWF in a bid to save wild tigers from extinction. With fewer than 3,200 tigers left in the wild, experts are predicting the wild tiger could be extinct in less than 12 years.
"Illegal poaching of tigers for their parts and massive habitat loss due to palm oil, timber and paper production are driving this species to extinction," said DiCaprio. "If we don't take action now, one of the most iconic animals on our planet could be gone in just a few decades.
DiCaprio, in conjunction with WWF president Carter S. Roberts, recently launched the Save Tigers Now campaign. The campaign hopes to mobilize global efforts and resources to save the wild tiger from extinction.
Heads of government from the 13 tiger range countries recently gathered in St. Petersburg, Russia, for a first-ever summit to save tigers hosted by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The 13 countries where tigers still exist in the wild are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Visit: http://www.savetigersnow.org/
Via GuardianUK
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