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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Yao Ming in Kenya as WildAid Ambassador



Former NBA basketball player Yao Ming is in Kenya in his role as WildAid Ambassador, to bring attention to poachers threatening rhinos and elephants. Yao is also expected to shoot an anti-poaching documentary in the country.
On Saturday, the former Houston Rockets star visited the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Nanyuki. The conservancy serves as a sanctuary for four of the world’s remaining seven northern white rhinos, and in spite of increased security in the conservancy, 5 of its 88 rhinos have been poached in the past one year.  
The documentary titled “The End of the Wild” is expected to show the beauty and economic importance of wildlife, and the extent of the poaching crisis.  

About WildAid
WorldAid’s mission is to end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetimes by reducing demand through public awareness campaigns and providing comprehensive marine protection. The illegal trade is estimated to be worthy over $10 billion per year and has drastically reduced many wildlife populations around the world. Just like the drug trade, law and enforcement efforts have not been able to resolve the problem.
Every year, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent protecting animals in the wild, yet virtually nothing is spent on stemming the demand for wildlife parts and products. WildAid is the only organization focused on reducing the demand for these products, with the strong and simple message: when the buying stops, the killing can too.
Photos courtesy of Yao Ming’s blog Yao's Journey to Africa

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