Leonardo DiCaprio fights for Indonesian elephants' future

Actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio took a trip to the jungles of Indonesia over the weekend in a bid to garner support for the creation of a nature sanctuary on the island of Sumatra.

DiCaprio, 41, took to Instagram  to share a photo of himself standing alongside two fellow environmentalist and two endangered elephants.

“The lowland #rainforest of the Leuser Ecosystem are considered the world’s best remaining habitat for the critically endangered Sumatran #elephant,” wrote DiCaprio.

The actor, who has been a strong advocate for global environmental issues, explained that the elephants and other animals living in the Leuser rainforest habitats are under threat after plans were announced to destroy patches of forest for commercial use.

“Ancient elephant migratory patters 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.”

Not only does the Leuser Ecosystem provide habitats for animals, but it also supplies clean water to the citizens living in the area and its watersheds help protect from natural disasters.

To help combat the problem, DiCaprio’s namesake organization, The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, is teaming up with local partners to establish a “mega-fauna sanctuary in the Leuser Ecosystem.” Along with elephants, the Leuser Ecosystem is the “last place on Earth” where orangutans, tigers and rhinos coexist.