A local kiwi conservation project has captured Leonardo DiCaprio's attention.
The actor and keen environmentalist took to his Instagram account to give a shout-out to the efforts of The Capital Kiwi Project, who are working to restore a large-scale wild kiwi population in Wellington.
Along with a beautiful picture of our native bird, Leo wrote: “As the wild disappears from most cities around the world, New Zealand’s capital has been transformed by efforts to welcome native birds into its urban backyard.”
“In 2022, the @capital.kiwi project was launched as a community initiative to help reintroduce iconic Kiwis back into Wellington’s wilds after a 100-year absence,” he added.
“By restoring a wild, sustainable population of Kiwi to Wellington, they are making a significant contribution to saving this beloved species and #rewilding New Zealand.”
The project was excited to see the shout-out, resharing Leo’s post along with “🔑🟤🖤🤙”.
The actors shoutout comes just over a month after New Zealand’s national Kiwi hatchery welcomed their 2,500th kiwi chick.
Emma Bean, the Business Manager of the National Kiwi Hatchery, said at the time: “Welcoming the 2500th member into our whānau is a very proud moment for the facility and a testament to the dedication of our team in preserving the national manu of Aotearoa.”
DiCaprio is a founding member of Re:Wild who are partnered with 10 Aotearoa-based conservational organisations including Te Papa Atawahi/Department of Conservation and Predator Free 2050.
