Leonardo DiCaprio has donated $1 million dollars to the World Wildlife Fund, a conservation organization that has been working to protect species and their habitats for almost five decades.

The money donated by DiCaprio is to help save tigers, a species the WWF estimates only 3,200 exist in the wild, compared to 100,000 a hundred years ago.

DiCaprio also attended the five day conference in St. Petersburg, Russia, the International Forum on Tiger Conservation, designed to create a plan to stop activities that are responsible for the animals’ decline, such as poaching and destruction of habitat.

“Illegal poaching of tigers for their parts and massive habitat loss due to palm oil, timber and paper production are driving this species to extinction,” said DiCaprio.

“If we don’t take action now, one of the most iconic animals on our planet could be gone in just a few decades. By saving tigers, we can also protect some of our last remaining ancient forests and improve the lives of indigenous communities.”

DiCaprio is a board member of the WWF and earlier this year, helped WWF raise $20 million for the Save Tigers Now campaign, a conservation program devoted entirely to the species.

The WWF says there are only 13 countries where tigers still exist in the wild: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Photo: PR Photos

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