Actor LEONARDO DiCaprio has pledged $7 million (Gbp$4.4 million) over the next two years to ocean conservation efforts.

The Wolf of Wall Street star spoke at a U.S. State Department conference in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday (17Jun14), when he revealed he would donate the money through his Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.

He said, "Before I wanted to become an actor, I dreamt of becoming a marine biologist.

"This isn't simply an exercise in wildlife conservation. If we don't do something to save the ocean now, it won't be just the sharks and the dolphins that suffer. It will be our children and our grandchildren."

The pledge comes months after he donated $3 million (Gbp1.875 million) to ocean conservation organisation Oceana in February (14).