Leonardo DiCaprio joins plea to save endangered Chilean frog

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has issued a global appeal to protect the Alsodes pehuenche, a critically endangered frog species native to the high Andean landscapes of the Alto Maule region. The species faces extinction due to a proposed high-voltage electrical interconnection project between Chile and Argentina designed by the Italian energy company Enel.

The project involves the installation of 72 support towers across vital habitats, including Paso Pehuenche, Valle del Campanario, and Laguna del Maule. The Chilean Ministry of Environment warned that altering watercourses could result in a 25 percent mortality rate for the population. Environmentalists note the species is already pressured by livestock, invasive trout, and chytrid fungus.

Public opposition has been significant, with nearly 16,000 observations submitted to the environmental assessment process, a record for the Chilean system. In response, Enel stated that it has operated in full compliance with current regulations, asserting that all environmental, territorial, and archaeological aspects were analyzed and integrated according to the requirements of competent authorities.