While Yao Ming will always be remembered for his on-court accolades with the Houston Rockets, his career as a humanitarian may one day be just as notable, if not more so.

During the past few years, Yao has played in and hosted numerous charity basketball games, donated millions to an earthquake relief fund and led a crusade against the consumption of shark fin soup in China.

Recently, Yao took on another challenge. The 31-year-old, who has worked with the wildlife conservation group WildAid before, went with them on a fact-finding trip to Africa in which Yao documented the continent’s growing poaching crisis.

Yao Ming Documents African Poaching Crisis Slideshow

 

Yao Ming's Conservationist Visit To Africa

Yao inspects the corpse of a poached elephant in Namunyak, Northern Kenya.

 

Yao's Conservationist Visit To Africa

Yao and his crew head to Ol Pejeta Conservatory in Kenya, the largest black rhino sanctuary in Africa.

 

Yao's Conservationist Visit To Africa

Yao with Najin and Suni, two Northern White Rhinos.

 

Yao's Conservationist Visit To Africa

Yao takes in the scene on the way to Ol Pejeta Conservatory.

 

Yao's Conservationist Visit To Africa

Yao at Ol Pejeta Conservatory. The conservatory is home to Kenya's highest concentration of wildlife.

 

Yao's Conservationist Visit To Africa

Yao and his companions come across a cheetah at the conservatory.

 

Yao's Conservationist Visit To Africa

The crew is on the way to see Northern White Rhinos.

 

Yao's Conservationist Visit To Africa

Yao stops for a photo with the Kenya Police Reservists. "Rhino patrolling is no joke," Yao writes, "it involves walking for hours on end, several times a day, until every last rhino is spotted at least once every three days."

 

Yao's Conservationist Visit To Africa

Yao takes in the African countryside. "Apart from the red earth, which apparently is because of the iron content, it looks a bit like parts of Asia and other places I’ve been," Yao writes.

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To read Yao's entire blog from his trip or to see more photos,
click here.
To learn more about WildAid, click here.
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