Hollywood actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio has praised a Wellington-based conservation group that is returning kiwis to the wild.
In an Instagram post, the Oscar winner praised the Capital Kiwi project, which aims to reintroduce kiwi to the hills near Wellington.
In his article, DiCaprio wrote: “By restoring a sustainable wild population of kiwis to Wellington, they are making a significant contribution to saving this beloved species and rewilding New Zealand.” »
Paul Ward, founder and manager of the Capital Kiwi Project, told 1News it was “surreal” to wake up and see such a big name had posted about the organisation.
“I woke up to a bunch of notifications and a whole bunch of new followers, and then I saw that actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio had shared our project with his 62 million friends,” he said .
“It was really surreal. I mean, what we did here in Wellington got a bit of attention. Our first chicks ended up being on the front page of the New York Times, and one of our birds was in the National Geographic Review.
“So the work we’re doing has gotten some attention. But reaching that type of audience is next level.”
He said the message came “completely out of nowhere” without prior warning.
But there was also a connection between Capital Kiwi Project and DiCaprio.
The project established a relationship with Re:Wild, an organization founded by DiCaprio as an environmentalist, which works to combat extinction crises around the world.
“To be waving a Kiwi flag, the New Zealand banner in this space, we’re pretty excited,” Ward said.
He said that since posting, the project has received “a flood” of new followers – showing that the work they are doing is being noticed and appreciated. Ward also hopes it will serve as inspiration for other projects.
“This shows the global interest in the work we do to care for our target species and our garden.
“I think it shows you what’s possible when people work together around a common goal.”
DiCaprio has used his platform to promote environmentalist efforts for decades.
He has served on the boards of several environmental organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund, Re:Wild, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Global Green USA, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
