Leonardo DiCaprio is giving Sean Penn’s Haiti charity a boost by auctioning off the chance to party with him at a Hollywood bash.

The Titanic star has donated two tickets to one of his upcoming red carpet premieres, as well as passes to the after party.

The lucky winner and guest will then get the chance to pose for photographs with DiCaprio during a brief meet-and-greet session.
The Charity Buzz auction, which ends on February 9, is expected to fetch as much as $25,000 (£15,625) for the J/P Haitian Relief Organization.

Penn founded the charity to help Haitian families rebuild their lives in the wake of the devastating 2010 earthquake.

Source: Contactmusic

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http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet_action_center_b/?fpeISbb&pv=186

Some of his fellow celebs reacted in horror to news footage showing the carcasses of some 50 escaped exotic animals police in Zanesville, Ohio shot to death this week out of concern for public safety.

But given his activism on behalf of tiger conservation, Leonardo DiCaprio was especially broken up over the slaughter.

The J. Edgar star took to Twitter to mourn the loss of 18 rare Bengal Tigers among the fauna that authorities were forced to kill Wednesday after their keeper released them into the wild before committing suicide.

“Sad situation & proof we need better regulation to protect both animals & people NOW,” tweeted DiCaprio, before linking to a CNN story that quoted Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz as saying that all the critters were accounted for following officers’ search (and destroy) mission.

The 36-year-old thesp subsequently sent a follow up tweet urging followers to join the World Wildlife Fund’s Conservation Action Network, for whom he lent his good name to help kick off its Save Tigers Now campaign in May 2010.

“#SaveTigersNow RT @World_Wildlife: Tragic images from #Zanesville Help by signing on to protect captive tigers,” he wrote, including a link to the WWF’s site.

There are approximately 3,200 tigers remaining in the wild, and the species is teetering on the brink of extinction due to the threat of poachers who kill the 300-pound endangered felines for their pelts and other parts, and the ever-increasing loss of their habitat.

DiCaprio’s call for improved regulation over the trade of exotic animals also jived with a statement released by PETA that called the Zanesville massacre “a tragic example of just how wrong things can go when people are allowed to keep wild animals.”

Police still have no official word on the escaped monkey that had the herpes B virus, though Lutz said his department believed one of the big cats could have eaten it.

Source: E! Online

The actor plans to support various animal conservation issues, but will begin his new role with the “Elephants, Never Forget” campaign.

Leonardo DiCaprio will probably be seen frequently in Hollywood during the 2012 Oscar season, due to his Oscar-buzzed role as J. Edgar Hoover, the controversial FBI founder, in the Warner Bros film J. Edgar.

But the actor/activist has just taken on another high profile role.

It was announced today that DiCaprio is now the global ambassador for the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s Animal Action campaign — “Elephants, Never Forget” — designed to shut down the slaughter to near extinction of these animals caused by the black market international ivory trade, despite the ivory ban established 1989.

“Authorities in 85 countries have seized almost 400 tons of ivory on the black market since the 1989 ivory trade ban,” says DiCaprio. “In the past century, the number of elephants in the wild has declined by 50 percent. Their disappearance could devastate ecosystems and have a lasting impact on the biodiversity of our planet.”

The ivory trade also fuels ongoing conflict and strife around the world.

“Elephants are killed by poachers so their tusks can be traded for weapons and drugs by international criminal organizations before becoming trinkets and jewelry for consumers,” DiCaprio explains, adding “Authorities in 85 countries have seized almost 400 tons of ivory on the black market since the 1989 ivory trade ban.”

The IFAW action is part of the organization’s annual international education program that strives to reach seven million teachers, students and their families in over 15 countries. DiCaprio feels that education on this issue is essential to stopping the demand and the supply. “Most people still have no idea that elephants are killed for their ivory tusks.”

This is not a one species appearance for DiCaprio. There will be sequel campaigns in which DiCaprio will highlight a different animal conservation issue for IFAW each year.

For more info on the elephant slaughter, the illegal ivory trade and how you can help, go to IFAW.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio is to lead a campaign to save elephants and stop the international ivory trade that threatens them, wildlife campaigners have revealed.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said its annual Animal Action campaign would focus this year on the continuing threats to elephants, 20 years after the international ban on trading ivory was put in place.

According to IFAW, populations of elephants began to recover after the ban was put into place, but a failure to tackle poaching in recent years has raised the prospect of extinction in several African countries.

In the past century the number of elephants, the world’s largest land animal, has halved.

Source: Scotsman.com News

Leonardo DiCaprio is pleading with fans in California to back a bill banning the sale of shark fins in the state.

The Hollywood star, a passionate animal rights campaigner, previously wrote a letter to officials in support of Assembly Bill 376, which would make it illegal to possess, sell or trade sought-after fins.

Now DiCaprio is ramping up his efforts as authorities prepare to vote on the legislation — he has asked Californians to place calls to their state senators and ask them to protect sharks.

In a post on his Twitter page, he writes, “This is our last shot. Please help.”

The actor has also called for fans to sign a petition urging world leaders to do more for shark conservation.

Edward Norton, Kristen Bell, Paul Rudd and Scarlett Johansson and pop star Ke$ha are among the stars who are backing the bill to save sharks.

Source: London Free Press

Leonardo DiCaprio may have been revealed as the highest paid actor in Hollywood and he may also be one of the busiest actors in the business. However, that has not stopped him from fighting for what he believes in and spreading the word of the potential extinction of the Sumatran Tiger, due to deforestation.
Leonardo regularly updates his official Twitter account with stories relating to the Sumatran Tiger and how their numbers are dropping due to deforestation. DiCaprio recently wrote, “Only 400 Sumatran Tigers left due to deforestation + demand for parts http://t.co/cG83ObV via @mobli #SaveTigersNow”.

The next day Leo added, “King of the jungle… trapped & suffering in his own home.” Deforestation to blame. (graphic) http://t.co/L9IOHy6 #SaveTigersNow”.

Source: Fans Share

Did you know that you can buy shark fins in the state of California? As in — shark. fins. That’s messed up! And my buddy (someday), Leonardo DiCaprio, thinks that needs to change too.

He’s so passionate about banning the sale of shark fins that he wrote a letter, backed by celebs like Megan Fox, Edward Norton, Sam Trammell, Rachel Bilson and Ben Stiller, to the California State Senate asking them to support Assembly Bill 376.

Here’s an excerpt from the letter (c/o Vegetarian Star):

“The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has concluded that a third of shark species are now threatened with extinction of some kind. And recent estimates state that up to 73 million sharks are killed each year for use in shark fin soup and other products. Traditionally shark fin was affordable only to the elite, and consequently the issue of decimation of species was not a concern. But with the explosion of the world’s population, and an increasing number of wealthy consumers, this can no longer be considered true, as has been evidenced by the decimation of shark populations worldwide. Despite fisheries attempts at regulation, the inhumane practice of finning continues unabated too, as does the illegal capture of sharks from marine reserves and sovereign waters.”

If the bill is passed, than an official ban on the sale of shark fins in the state of California will be enforced.

Source: ecorazzi.com

Leonardo DiCaprio used his star power to raise money for fellow Hollywood star Sean Penn’s Haiti Foundation during an auction at the Cannes film festival.

The Titanic star perked up the proceedings after the wealthy in the room weren’t quick to bid, reported New York Post online.

The 36-year-old jumped onstage, grabbed the mic and pledged 50,000 euros at Wednesday’s Cinema For Peace fund-raiser.

He then called on Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein and Russian billionaire Vladimir Doronin to match it, which they did.

DiCaprio’s effort helped Penn’s organization raise more than 750,000 euros to help rebuild the earthquake devastated country.

The Oscar winning actor spoke persuasively before auctioning off rare items like walking the red carpet with him and Uma Thurman on Friday for the premiere of his film, This Must Be The Place.

Source: SpiceZee

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is lending a hand to Senate Democrats, urging his more than 1 million Twitter followers to call their senators to vote for a bill to repeal oil subsidies.

The Senate this evening will vote on the measure to repeal $2 billion a year in subsidies to the five biggest oil companies — Shell Oil Co., Exxon Mobile, ConocoPhillips, BP America and Chevron Corp. The legislation, which is backed by President Obama, is not expected to get the 60 votes needed for passage and is strongly opposed by Republicans.

“Big oil is making huge profits & getting billions in US taxpayer subsidies. End #oilsubsidies,” tweeted DiCaprio, an environmentalist perhaps best known for his Academy Award-nominated roles in The Aviator and Blood Diamond.

Last week, the CEOs of the big oil companies testified at a Senate Finance Committee hearing that they need the federal tax breaks to keep gas prices from rising. Gas is more than $4 a gallon in parts of the country.

The oil company executives got a tongue-lashing from senators such as Democrat Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, who said the company leaders were “deeply, profoundly out of touch.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., blasted Democrats for staging a “dog and pony show” at the hearing. He said today the Democratic majority is playing a “blame game.”

“Americans aren’t interested in scapegoats,” McConnell said. “They just want to pay less to fill up their cars.”

A GOP bill to increase offshore oil drilling is slated to come up Wednesday and is also expected to not get enough votes for passage.

USA TODAY’s David Jackson has more in The Oval about Obama’s support for the Senate Democratic bill.

Source: USATODAY.com