Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio concerned for wildlife in ‘catastrophic’ bushfires

Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio has turned to social media to depict the disastrous reality of bushfires tearing through NSW, QLD and parts of the ACT. SEE HIS POST.

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Leonardo DiCaprio has turned to social media to express his deepest sympathies and concern for those affected by Australia’s bushfires.

The Hollywood A-lister, 45, shared pictures of the ongoing tragic fire, animals and areas affected today, alongside a “catastrophic fire danger” warning by officials.

More than 70 fires – ranging from disastrous to controlled on the NSW Rural Fire Service website – are currently burning across most of NSW, parts of the ACT and south QLD.

A total fire ban has also been put in place from tomorrow, in areas including New England, Northern Slopes, Far North Coast, North Coast, Greater Hunter, Greater Sydney Region, Illawarra and Shoalhaven, and the Central Ranges.

Tomorrow, Friday November 15, eight areas have Total Fire Bans in place. Many parts of the east coast have Severe Fire Danger Ratings. Check your area now. For more information check the NSW RFS website. #nswrfs #nswfireshttps://t.co/oTrzcu7HDR pic.twitter.com/PZqFdYHZyk

— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) November 14, 2019

In his post on Instagram, DiCaprio captioned his heart went out to the victims of current bushfires, including 350 koalas presumed dead.

“These species help to maintain healthy forests by continually turning over and breaking down forest leaf litter, thereby drastically reducing fuel load. In their absence, fires are more intense, often reaching the treetops, which can affect populations of species already on the brink, like the Koala,” he said.

“Our sincere well wishes go out to all those affected by these devastating fires. If you encounter any injured wildlife, please contact your local animal authorities for rescue and rehabilitation.”

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DiCaprio’s Instagram post – re-posted and shared from Aussie Ark – has so far gained the attention of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, with more than 417,000 likes in 12 hours.

It was also shared to DiCaprio’s Facebook page, where he has more than 16,000,000 followers.

Hours later DiCaprio took to Instagram again to share a video of the bushfires from the World Economic Forum.

He highlighted the intensity of the fires and those who have lost their lives so far.

It has attracted more than a million views and thousands of comments.

Originally published as Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio concerned for wildlife in ‘catastrophic’ bushfires