Leonardo DiCaprio Instagram – In the last two years, #Ecuador and #CostaRica have created or expanded Marine Protected Areas between the Galapagos and Cocos Islands. Combined, these areas protect a nearly 140,000 mile2 (360,000 km2) marine corridor, an area nearly three times larger than New York state. Protecting known wildlife corridors is critical to ocean health because wildlife use them for migration, feeding, and breeding. Now, both Ecuador and Costa Rica have created funds for supporting the effective management of these protected areas. Costa Rica’s fund was created with philanthropic support, while Ecuador’s – the world’s largest to date – leverages a restructuring of the country’s debt, where part of the proceeds are invested in conservation. Each of these helps finance effective protections for #sealife like whale sharks, manta rays, sea turtles and dolphins. Congratulations to Ecuador, Costa Rica and all the supporters that made this possible. #30×30 @guillermolasso @ambienteec @gustavomanriquemiranda @parquegalapagos #MasGalapagos Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy (@pewtrusts @bertarellifoundation) Credit Suisse Aqua Blue Investments Oceans Finance Company US Development Finance Corporation (@dfcgov) Inter-American Development Bank (@el_bid) Costa Rica Blue Fund (@costaricaporsiempre) MINAE Costa Rica (@minaecr) SINAC Costa Rica Forever Costa Rica (@costaricaporsiempre) Bezos Earth Fund (@bezosearthfund) Re:wild (@rewild) Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (@moorefound) Wyss Foundation 📷: Alex Hearn