Hollywood star and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio took to Instagram sharing photo of Mariam, an orphaned dugong which passed away last week. The baby dugong which was under the care of biologist in Thailand had caught an infection which exacerbated by bits of plastic inside her stomach. Doctors could not save the mammal as the presence of plastic had infected its body completely. Mariam had washed up in shallow waters off southwestern Thailand months ago after which she was taken care of by conservationists. Efforts taken for her recovery had won many hearts as it was shown as an example of ocean conservation. Leonardo shared an Instagram post which talked about how plastic killed the marine mammal.

Leonardo is known for being a champion of various environmental causes including wildlife. In the past, his efforts ended the 'inhumane' captivity of over 100 orca and beluga whales in Russia. He often takes to social media making his followers aware of the required conservation efforts. He has also invested in the plant-based vegan company, Beyond Meat. Leo had recently urged his followers to sign an online petition for the release of orcas and beluga whales from the 'whale jail' in Srednyaya Ba, located in the city of Nakhodka, Russia's Pacific Coast.

Here is the Instagram Post Shared by Leonardo DiCaprio:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

#Regram #RG @washingtonpost A beloved baby marine mammal in Thailand has died after consuming plastic and experiencing shock, Thai officials said Saturday. The young dugong, a relative of the manatee, was named Marium after marine biologists discovered her orphaned and lost in April in southern Thailand, the Associated Press reported. Soon, she captured hearts around the world as videos of her nuzzling up against caretakers circulated the Internet. Veterinarians found pieces of plastic blocking the young mammal’s intestines and said that Marium died of shock. Her intestines became inflamed, which caused gas in her digestive tract, an infection in her blood and pus in her lungs. The infection spread, causing shock, officials said in the announcement. Go to the link in our bio to read more. (Photo by Sirachai Arunrugstichai via AP, File)

A post shared by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio) on

The Hollywood actor has also founded the DiCaprio Foundation, an organisation dedicated to the protection and wellbeing of all Earth's inhabitants. It is reported that the actor quit consuming beef to reduce his carbon footprint after watching the documentary Cowspiracy.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 25, 2019 10:05 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).