Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin discussed tiger protection issues with American actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who came to St. Petersburg to take part in the International Tiger Forum.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who is hosting a summit on tiger conservation in St Petersburg, said the actor Leonardo DiCaprio had "literally torn his way through to Saint Petersburg," calling him "a real man" for his persistence, the Daily Telegraph reports. DiCaprio later pledged to donate $1 million towards saving the tiger.

DiCaprio was among passengers on a Delta Airline jet that was forced to make an emergency landing in New York on Monday after losing an engine.

His second plane faced strong headwinds and had to make an unscheduled refueling stop in Helsinki, Mr. Putin told the audience.