“Scientists have discovered a young group of endangered giant clams off the coast of Croatia in the Adriatic Sea,” posted Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio to his 60 million-plus followers on his Instagram page.
“The noble pen shell clam, which can grow to be up to four feet wide, has been declining since a deadly pathogen struck the species in 2016,” continued the eco-conscious actor.
“Researchers hope to bring back the clams that play an important role in maintaining healthy underwater ecosystems.”
DiCaprio, who stars in the film Killers of the Flower Moon, currently nominated for seven awards at the upcoming Golden Globes, has long been a promoter of nature conservation.
Also known by its Latin name of pinna nobilis, the noble pen shell clam started dying out as a deadly pathogen spread across the Mediterranean around 2016.
Then, in 2022, a diver spotted a cluster of 20 clams off the north Istrian coast, while marine biologists found another five dozen or so near Poreč. They collected several young specimens for analysis in an aquarium in Pula.
Noble pen shell clams can grow as wide as 120cm across and help to filter sea water, allowing other organisms to thrive.