Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio tweeted a story about elephants in Sri Lanka dying after eating plastic waste.
The Associated Press article notes that conservationists and veterinarians are warning that plastic waste at an open dump in eastern Sri Lanka is killing elephants in the area, after two more were found dead over the weekend.
Around 20 elephants have died in the past eight years after consuming plastic waste at the garbage dump in Pallakkadu village in Ampara district, about 210 kilometers (130 miles) east of the capital, Colombo .
Elephants are revered in Sri Lanka but are also endangered. Their numbers rose from around 14,000 in the 19th century to 6,000 in 2011, according to the country’s first elephant census.
Besides acting, the Hollywood star is also raising her voice on critical social issues.
A tree new to science was recently named after Leonardo DiCaprio.
Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew said they wanted to honor the star for helping save a rainforest from logging.
The tree, which received the official name, Uvariopsis dicapriogrows only in the Cameroonian forest known for its incredible biodiversity. (Colombo Official Gazette)
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