Leonardo DiCaprio announces $43m funding for Galapagos Islands rewilding

Leonardo DiCaprio has announced funding of $43 million (£30.4 million) towards an effort to rewild the Galápagos Islands and reintroduce locally extinct species, including pink iguanas, giant tortoises and the first mockingbird species described by Charles Darwin.

The American actor and environmentalist has launched a conservation charity called Re:wild, which will partner with local experts to restore Floreana Island, where 13 species will be reintroduced.

The island’s wildlife has suffered from human population growth and the arrival of invasive animals, including goats, which decimated local plant species.

The money will also be used to protect endangered species and mitigate against the effects of tourism in the area. Funds have been raised by a large number of organisations, including the Galápagos National Park Directorate, Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment and Water, and Charles Darwin Foundation.

DiCaprio tweeted: "More than half of Earth's remaining wild areas could disappear in the next few decades if we don't decisively act. This is why today I am excited to launch Re:wild - to help protect what's still wild and restore the rest.

"Re:wild begins with a 43 million dollar commitment to rewild the Galapagos, to bring the pink iguana, the Floreana giant tortoise and the Floreana mockingbird back from the brink of extinction, and to ensure the people of the Galapagos thrive with the wild.”

The Floreana mockingbird was the first mockingbird species described by Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle in 1835. His reports say that they were widespread across Floreana. None now live on the island.

It is believed that his observations of different bird species having the same common ancestor inspired his natural selection theory.

DiCaprio met with Paula A Castaño from Island Conservation when he last travelled to the Galápagos.

On Monday, he handed over his social media accounts to Ms Castaño so that she could share information on her team's rewilding efforts.

“Time is running out for so many species, especially on islands where their small populations are vulnerable and threatened,” she said.

“We need catalytic investments like the one announced today to replicate our successes in the Galápagos and elsewhere.”

DiCaprio has been an environmental activist for years, addressing the United Nations about the dangers of climate change in 2014, producing a documentary called Before The Flood in 2016 and donating more than $100 million to green causes.

On Tuesday, the Ecuadorian environment ministry announced that Darwin's arch, a prominent rock formation at a world-class diving site had fallen into the sea.

The rockfall was blamed on natural erosion and two giant stacks now stand in the sea next to Darwin Island.