Why Is Leonardo DiCaprio Being Asked To 'Save' Lake Baikal?
Why Is Leonardo DiCaprio Being Asked To 'Save' Lake Baikal?
The titanic debate over a Siberian lake that's led thousands of Russians to call on the Hollywood star to #saveourbaikal.
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But the flurry of attention prompted a popular Russian Instagram account to turn to DiCaprio, who once described himself as “half-Russian,” in an attempt push Baikal into world headlines. On July 18, the Instagram account ves_ulan_ude_ urged followers to alert the star to what they see as a crisis in Baikal. “He’s a famous eco warrior and media personality. Compatriots, support the movement. Baikal is our everything.”
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Lake Baikal is a crescent-shaped body of water in the heart of Siberia that is bigger than Belgium and holds around one-fifth of the world’s fresh surface water.
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For the past week, Leonardo DiCaprio's (pictured here with fellow actors in 2013) Instagram feed has been overwhelmed with thousands of pleas such as "Leo, please! Help us #savebaikal." So why Leo, and why now?
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Fishermen hauling in a catch from Baikal in 1977. The lake has long been a battleground between government and commercial interests seeking to capitalize on the vast watery resource and environmentalists trying to preserve it.