Report Date: 2014-06-23

On 23rd June 2014, Netease Sports reported that Yao Ming brought his family to Sanya, Hainan to participate in a sea turtle release public welfare activity jointly organized by 911 International Sea Turtle Rescue and Hainan Normal University. The release activities happened in a beach in Sanya. Yao Ming and a staff member together gently released a sea turtle into the sea. At the moment when the turtle swim back to the sea, Yao Ming's 4-year-old daughter Yao Qinlei waved her little hand to say goodbye to the sea turtle. Yao said, "I think it's very important for us to cultivate an awareness of wildlife conservation in our country and pass it on to the next generation like my daughter". 911 International Turtle Rescue praised Yao as a vocal leader in China's wildlife conservation efforts in a statement, saying that the release of the turtle was yet another example of Yao's involvement in the fight against illegal wildlife hunting, and that Yao's efforts in the fight against illegal wildlife hunting had been a major factor in his success. The release of the turtles is another of Yao's campaigns against illegal hunting of wildlife, and he has also filmed public service announcements to advocate for the protection of wildlife and has been promoting the idea that "no trade, no killing".

Basketball star Yao Ming releases sea turtles on Sanya beach (Photo from Frederick Yeh)

Attachment: Interview link：http://travel.tianya.cn/hainan/zixun/2014/06/23/1950712.shtml