Brian Sheth and Leonardo DiCaprio Lead $43 Million Pledge to Restore Galápagos

First Posted: Dec 06, 2021 11:18 AM EST
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Brian Sheth and Leonardo DiCaprio Lead $43 Million Pledge to Restore Galápagos

(Photo : Brian Sheth and Leonardo DiCaprio Lead $43 Million Pledge to Restore Galápagos )

Leonardo DiCaprio and Re:wild announced a $43 million pledge in May 2021 to support an initiative to restore the Galápagos Islands. Brian Sheth and his Sheth Sangreal Foundation are also major supporters of this initiative, which will build on decades of conservation efforts by local communities and partners like Galápagos National Park Directorate and Island Conservation. Re:wild is a global environmental organization launched simultaneously that will rewild the Galápagos on the scale never attempted before. It will also include all of Latin America's Pacific archipelagos extending from Mexico to Chile.

Rewilding is a new approach to nature conservation that includes holistic solutions for reestablishing wildlife populations. It also seeks to integrate people with functional, resilient ecosystems effectively.

DiCaprio, founding board member of Re:wild, also announced that he would turn over his social media accounts for the day to Paula A. Castaño to provide further information on the Galápagos initiative. Castaño is a veterinarian specializing in island restoration and a long-time member of Island Conservation. She lives in the Galápagos Islands and works throughout Latin America to reintroduce endangered species back into their native habitat. Castaño also collaborates with Galápagos National Park and local communities. Castaño's presence on DiCaprio's social media accounts will bring international attention to Re:wild and help obtain the resources needed to scale the initiative.

Castaño discussed the urgent need for restoring the Galápagos Islands on DiCaprio's platforms. She indicated that time is running out for many native species on the Galápagos and other islands because their populations are so small. She specifically cited the examples of the pink iguanas and Floreana mockingbirds, which may become extinct soon without prompt and drastic action. 

Castaño also emphasized that the methods of preventing extinction through the restoration of functional, thriving ecosystems have already been successful in other areas. The biggest challenge according to Castaño is that the Galápagos initiative will implement these actions on such a large scale. Furthermore, Castaño discussed the need for large investments to make the initiative successful.

Short-term Measures

The initial funding of $43 million will support specific projects in the Galápagos, such as developing a captive breeding program to prevent the imminent extinction of the pink iguana, which only lives on Isabela Island. This island contains an active volcano that could exterminate all 300 members of the species with a single eruption.

These funds will also help restore Floreana Island, which is home to 54 threatened species of animals. It will also reintroduce 13 species that are already locally extinct, including the Floreana mockingbird. This species is the first mockingbird that Charles Darwin described on his expeditions to the Galápagos Islands.

Another project that Re:wild will fund is strengthening measures that already protect marine resources around the Galápagos. These resources are vital for the ecotourism industry in this area, a critical component of the Ecuadorian economy.

Long-term Strategy

Danny Rueda, director of the Galápagos National Park Directorate, invited Re:wild and other partners to join in their efforts to protect the Galápagos in addition to rewilding it. He also discussed broader initiatives to improve the environment in this area over the next 10 years.

These efforts will include improving the capacity of regional restoration ecologists and other personnel. In this protected area Re:wild also plans to contribute to the development of local people by developing sustainable economies for them. Additional efforts include the restoration of 25 islands and the protection of 30 percent of the waters for each country in this area. Furthermore, Re:wild will begin efforts to halt or even reverse the decline of over 250 threatened species in the Galápagos, in addition to doubling the areas currently under protection.

West Sechrest, CEO and chief scientist for Re:wild, discussed the process for reversing the current collapse of ecosystems and climate crisis throughout the world by starting with the Galápagos. He indicated that it would require a strong focus on replicating the natural process, which is sustainable and took billions of years to refine. Sechrest also described the Galápagos as the first World Heritage Site and referred to Re:wild's work as "hope in action."

Sheth Sangreal Foundation

In addition to the Galápagos National Park Directorate, the Re:wild initiative supporters include Ecuador's Ministry of Environment and Water, and Brian Sheth and Adria Sheth's Sangreal Foundation. Brian Sheth became a billionaire before he was 40 in 2015 and was worth $2 billion in 2018, largely through private equity investments. He left his corporate life behind in 2020 to focus on the Sangreal Foundation's philanthropic efforts, which he founded in 2011.

The Sangreal Foundation primarily focuses on wildlife conservation and children's services. Its efforts in wildlife conservation have resulted in the conservation of 50,000 square miles of forest and protection of 350,000 acres in ecologically vulnerable areas. Additional accomplishments of the Sangreal Foundation include the protection of over 150 endangered species. Sheth has formed partnerships between the Sheth Sangreal Foundation and at least 90 other organizations, with total donations exceeding $60 million.

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