Yao to promote wildlife conservation at Houston Zoo
HOUSTON, Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Tomorrow,
February 14, former NBA Star and Chinese icon, Yao Ming, will be in
Houston with conservation organization,
WildAid,
visiting the
Houston
Zoo with local school children to educate them about the importance of
wildlife conservation. Yao will be leading a group on a special tour to meet
the elephants and other endangered species, as well as previewing his upcoming
documentary on the crisis for elephants and rhinos.
Yao has led the world's largest conservation awareness
program working with WildAid to educate the public in China on the threats to
wildlife, with the message, "when the buying stops, the killing can
too." Yao, together with dozens of Chinese and international celebrities,
has helped reached hundreds of millions of Chinese supported by hundreds of
millions of dollars of donated media placement.
WildAid's
shark
campaign has been highly successful. In July of 2012, the Chinese
government announced it would remove shark fin soup from the menus of
government banquets over the next three years. In January of 2013, The South
China Morning Post reported that the Hong Kong Shark Fin Trade Merchants
Association chairman found, "The whole industry has recorded a [sales]
decrease of 50 per cent on last year. [The decline] is mainly due to
omnipresent advocacy by green groups." This decline is backed by data from
the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, which reports that shark fin
imports have been reduced from 10,292 tonnes in 2011 to 3,087 tonnes, last
year.
The People's Daily also reported a 70% decline in shark fin
soup consumption at high-end hotels on February 1, 2013.
In August 2012, Yao Ming took his first trip to Africa with
WildAid, seeing poached elephants and rhinos first hand. He also met villagers
whose livelihoods and education depend on income from wildlife tourism.
Yao stated, "When people in China know what's happening
to these animals they want to do the right thing. By not consuming shark fin,
they have literally saved the lives of millions of sharks. We went to Africa to
tell the story of the elephants and rhinos and we hope consumers will react in
the same way."
Zoo Director, Rick Barongi said, "The Houston Zoo is
excited to team up with Yao Ming and WildAid in the fight to save Africa's
critically endangered elephants and rhinos. By inviting local school children
to join Yao on a special tour to meet our own elephant and rhino ambassadors,
we hope to educate and inspire young minds and hearts to help stop the
senseless slaughter of these incredible animals."
WildAid Executive Director, Peter Knights said "China
is crucial to the survival of many species and we believe with Yao's leadership
we can help create a sea change in attitudes around wildlife and ensure the
survival of sharks, elephants, and rhinos."
Yao's visit to Houston is set around the 2013 NBA All-Star
game. WildAid launches a campaign with NBA Cares on March 3rd. As well as
supporting conservation, the Yao Ming Foundation also focuses on helping
educate children. Yao owns and manages the Shanghai Sharks basketball team and
has developed Yao Family Wines.
About WildAid:WildAid is the only organization to focus on
reducing the demand for wildlife products with the strong and simple
message: when the buying stops, the killing can too. WildAid works
with Asian and Western celebrities and business leaders to dissuade people from
purchasing wildlife products via public service announcements and educational
initiatives, reaching up to one billion people per week in China
alone. For more information, please visit
www.wildaid.org.
Footage and stills are available. Additionally, appearances
are available for request.
About the Yao Ming Foundation:The
Yao
Ming Foundation was established in June of 2008, by international NBA
Star Yao Ming, in response to the devastating 8.0 earthquake in Sichuan
Province, China on May 12, 2008. More than 8,000 schoolrooms and 185 schools
were destroyed during the earthquake. The Yao Ming Foundation has committed to
rebuilding five schools in the earthquake region. The Yao Ming Foundation also
supports additional educational opportunities in the US and China.
Yao Ming is also currently the owner of the
Shanghai
Sharks, a professional basketball team in China.
In November 2011, Yao Ming announced the establishment of
his new Napa Valley wine company:
Yao
Family Wines. The company released its inaugural wine under the brand name
Yao Ming®. Yao Family Wines appointed Pernod Ricard (China) as its sole and exclusive
importer and distributor of the Yao Ming® wines in mainland China.
About the Houston Zoo:Founded in 1922, the
Houston
Zoo is an exciting live animal adventure that provides a unique
educational and conservation resource serving more than 1.9 million guests
annually. Set in a 55-acre lush tropical landscape, the Zoo is home to
more than 6,000 exotic animals representing more than 800 species.
Operated by the not-for-profit Houston Zoo, Inc., the Houston Zoo is dedicated
to the conservation of endangered species, the provision of engaging
educational opportunities and the creation of stimulating exhibits that broaden
the experiences of our guests and encourage their curiosity.
Editor's Notes:
Fins from up to 73 million sharks are used every year to
make shark fin soup and related food products. Shark finning is a cruel and
wasteful practice – captured at sea and hauled on deck, the sharks are often
still alive while their fins are sliced off. Because shark meat is not
considered as valuable as the fins, the maimed animals are tossed overboard to
drown or bleed to death. The International Union for Conservation of Nature
(ICUN) estimates that 1/3 of the world's pelagic shark species are threatened
with extinction, with certain species experiencing declines of over 90%.
Global trade bans enacted in 1989 (ivory ban) and 1993
(rhino sales bans) resulted in both rhino and elephant populations increasing
steadily until the dramatic resurgence of poaching in 2008. According to a 2011
survey conducted by IFAW, "Elephant poaching levels are the worst in a
decade and recorded ivory seizures are at their highest levels since
1989." In South Africa alone, two rhinos are being killed every day, as
rhino populations have declined 95% worldwide over the past 40 years.
紐英崙至孝篤親公所二月十七日晚在波士頓龍鳳酒樓席開逾百桌，和上千名宗親、僑胞歡聚，慶祝癸巳-
蛇年到來，會場熱鬧非常。應邀出席的聯邦州市政要及嘉賓人數之多，也再令僑界對至孝篤親公所人脈關係之廣、之強，印象深刻。
紐英崙至孝篤親公所主席陳滋源，北美洲至孝篤親公所總理陳家驊在先後致詞中，除了拜年，介紹來自芝加哥的陳偉達，來自紐約的陳羨棠，以及波士頓本地的陳毓璇、陳毓禮、陳仕維等元老，陳日華、陳建立、陳文浩等三名本地顧問外，還點出今年是陳毓璇的本命年。
紐英崙至孝篤親公所春宴，向來都有出席的聯邦州市政要嘉賓多如繁星的特色。今年應邀到會嘉賓，除了陳毓禮的逾廿年老友，笑稱陳毓禮在自己住院期間帶往探病的食物，讓全院護士大讚的波士頓市長萬寧路(Tom Menino)之外，星光閃閃。許多僑胞趁著近距離接觸機會，紛紛要求和去年底甫當選為麻州首名女性聯邦參議員的伊莉莎白沃倫(Elizabeth
Warren)合照，讓司儀台前的舞台，一度人滿為患。
在轄區重新劃分後代表昆士市的聯邦眾議員史帝芬林奇(Steven Lynch)，已在克里(John Kerry)獲確任為美國國務卿後，宣佈參加為遞補克里遺缺所辦的特別選舉，十七日晚特地到場拜年。但在僑界不邀請候選人上台的慣例下，由轄區在昆士市的麻州參議員陳德基，致詞時為他拜票，籲請僑胞支持。
已宣佈有極強烈參選麻州州長意願的麻州財政廳廳長葛羅斯曼(Steve Grossman)，穿著橘金色的馬卦，和太太一起到會。他簡潔拜年外，也略述蛇了的多智、靈敏特色，彰顯他也瞭解中國的農曆生肖。
陳翟蘇妮因為其父陳福林的關係，也算是至孝篤親公所成員之一。她笑說自己很嫉妒比楚賽利能代表華埠，但也要很高興的向宗親們宣佈，她家即將增加一名至孝篤親公所成員。
