Leonardo DiCaprio has taken up the cause of the vaquita porpoise that inhabit the Gulf of California as they are on the verge of extinction, with less than 30 available. He has requested the Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto to help save these from getting totally wiped out from the face of the Earth. If action is not taken immediately, they could vanish within one year’s time.
Seriousness of the problem
Daily Mail UK reports that Leonardo DiCaprio and Enrique Pena Nieto did not see eye to eye on the subject. Last month DiCaprio had gone online to promote the cause of the imminent extinction of the vaquita porpoise.
He used the social media to pass on a message to his fans about the gloomy future of the world’s smallest porpoise and warned that it was heading for extinction. He wanted his fans to impress upon Pena Nieto to rise to the occasion and take suitable action to reverse the trend.
Enrique Pena Nieto initially reacted by defensive tweets but, the matter is resolved amicably and a deal also worked out. Under the deal, Mexico has promised to protect the marine ecosystems of the Gulf of California and pay particular attention to the vaquita, which is found only there.
The challenge has been taken up by the government of Mexico and it is supported by DiCaprio's foundation. Mexican telecoms billionaire Carlos Slim is also a signatory to the deal – he is the sixth-richest person in the World according to Forbes magazine.
The Gulf of California
The Gulf of California is a World Heritage site since 2005 and is the main source of fish in Mexico. President Enrique Pena Nieto has assured that the country will live up to the challenge and take all necessary action to ensure that the vaquita porpoise is protected. One of the conditions in the deal is to impose a permanent ban on gillnets in the areas frequented by the species.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) had warned about the probable extinction of the vaquita by 2018 and it has appreciated the deal worked out by Leonardo DiCaprio and Enrique Pena Nieto which will set a new milestone in the efforts to save species from extinction.
Leonardo DiCaprio feels that there is a need to have a bold leadership at all levels to take care of the adverse effects of climate change and issues pertaining to the conservation of the environment.
Unless these are assigned the necessary priority, species like the vaquita porpoise will go into oblivion.
It is evident that climate change and its after effects have got people worried from all walks of life and everyone is trying to help the cause in his own special way. One section of the population has succumbed to greed and want to line their pockets at the cost of the environment. They are outnumbered by those like DiCaprio who want to leave a clean world for the future generation. Those who can influence decisions must take the lead to save the environment and the world.
