Introduction

The American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) Bowling For Rhinos (BFR) fund-raiser has raised over $1.9 million since 1990 entirely through volunteer efforts. It is the hard work and dedication of these volunteers that will make the difference in wildlife conservation efforts. Everyone should be proud to have taken part in such a successful program.

100% of all donated funds go directly to three rhino conservation organizations. The first is Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (LWC) in Kenya, which has grown to 55,000 acres protected with a 2 meter tall electric fence that is home to 32 black and 33 white rhino (6/5/03). In 1994, AAZK expanded its funding efforts to include Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia which is home to the last 47 Javan rhinos on earth (with a few discovered in Viet Nam). AAZK expanded its funding efforts once again in 1997 to include Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBS) in Sumatra, Indonesia where one of the largest populations of Sumatran rhinos live. There is now an Indonesian Rhino Conservation Program that includes all parks with rhino populations and BFR has become part of this program. All these efforts also protect unique ecosystems enabling the conservation of hundreds of endangered plants and animals.

2002 BFR Results

39 chapters or institutions turned in money in 2002 for a total of $158,456.76. $100,000 was sent to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy with $4,000 being retained for 2003 expenses. $29,228.38 was sent to Ujung Kulon National Park and $29,228.38 was sent to BBS in 2003 from the 2002 event.

2003 BFR to Date

40 chapters or institutions have stated they will hold an event in 2003. As of September 7th, 27 chapters or institutions have turned in money for a total of $161,349.40. I estimate the total to be $175,000 when all money is turned in for 2003.

Making a Difference

In the 1980's it was predicted that rhinos and elephant would be extinct by the year 2000 due to poaching. The number of elephants in Africa is half what it was 40 years ago. There are now about 550,000 elephants in Africa. The largest herd, estimated at 60,000, moves among 5 countries.

The black rhino population numbered about 100,000 in 1960 but remains around 3,100 today. It is true that the Black rhino numbers have plummeted. However, just the fact that these numbers are not zero is only because of dedicated conservationists who had to literally resort to armed camps to protect the remaining numbers of these species. The southern white rhino made a comeback from 40 animals in 1913 to 12,000 today.

Indonesia's rhino population plummeted 50% in a matter of 5 years. Only after the onset of the very intensive and specially trained rhino patrol units has the population held steady. The International Rhino Foundation, US Fish & Wildlife Tiger and Rhino Conservation Fund, World Wildlife Fund, and AAZK are the main contributors to the Rhino Patrol Unit (RPU) program.

Without conservation organizations like AAZK, these animals would surely be extinct today. I hope you will rejoice in knowing these magnificent animals who have walked on earth for millions of years are still thriving. It is in our hands to continue this work to protect these animals and have their populations return to reasonable sizes. We have made a difference and will continue to do so!

BFR 2003 Top Individual Money Raisers

Thanks to everyone for the outstanding effort this year!

BFR 2003 Top Money Raising Chapters

Thanks to everyone again! Here are the top 3 fund raising organizations:

Portland AAZK has raised the most since BFR started with $157.000!

See Appendix I ( History of Funds Raised) for more information on funds raised.

New for 2004

The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) has secured a sponsor for 2 top money raisers to travel to Bukit Barisan in Sumatra, Indonesia. Details of the trip will be announced in the Animal Keepers Forum. This will be offered in addition to the Lewa trips but winners must have raised at least $1,000 to be eligible. Trips will be awarded based on the 2004 event totals and winners will travel around February of 2005.

The Blue Rhino Gas Company has agreed to sponsor the Bowling For Rhinos Fund raiser. Details of this partnership will follow in the Animal Keepers Forum and Blue Rhino will introduce itself to the AAZK delegates at the conference in Cleveland. This is a promising venture that is very exciting.

It is extremely important to have continued participation from everyone if we are going to continue in our success. It doesnt matter how little or how much money is raised by your event. All events and funds raised are important! Public awareness of the plight of the rhino is of utmost importance so whatever it takes to get the word out is incredibly helpful. Remember, it takes about 5 consecutive years for a fund-raiser to take hold where people start to count on it, so its important to hold an event each year! Its also fun!

See Appendix II for a comparison of events over the years.

***Bowling For Rhinos is not only about saving rhinos. We save rhino habitat so we are saving everything from orchids to elephants! Lewa has the second largest population of elephant in Kenya and 25% of the world's Grevy zebra population.***

Use of Bowling For Rhinos Funds

100% of all funds raised are sent directly to 3 Rhino conservation projects conserving four species of Rhino, their habitats, and hundreds of other endangered plants and animals. BFR helps preserve the Black and White Rhino in Africa and the Javan and Sumatran Rhino in Indonesia. The first $100,000 raised each year goes to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy with the remainder split between Ujung Kulon National Park and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park.

See Appendix III for the annual funds distribution chart.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Isiolo, Kenya

The money AAZK raised with BFR was used to complete the Ngare Sergoi rhino sanctuary fence, fence in the Ngare Ndare Forest Preserve, purchase a plane and a Lorry (truck used to transport animals), fence off the two remaining boundaries and increase security. The old existing fence between the rhino sanctuary and the Ngare Ndare forest area was then removed. This created a 55,000 acre haven where everything from orchids to elephants could flourish. This allows the animals to migrate between the rhino sanctuary and the lush forest area - which is extremely important during times of drought. There are 145,000 acres under common wildlife policy but only 55,000 acres are enclosed by the fence with an area open at the north end to allow for the migration of elephant in and out of the sanctuary. Starting in 1994, BFR funds were used to help provide the operating costs of this successful rhino sanctuary. From 1990 through 2002, $1,442,912.48 has been sent to LWC.

The annual operating cost of the sanctuary is over $850,000 with 170 guards protecting the area. Anna Merz, AAZKs BFR funds, and private donations combine together to fund the operating costs. Operating costs include funding the security staff for the sanctuary and the wildlife, maintenance for the fence, vehicles and plane, and research staff to provide information such as carrying capacity determinations and fire burning regimes. By supplying operating costs, AAZK makes it easier for Lewa to solicit private donations to provide funding for special projects. Future plans include relocation of reticulated giraffe, common zebra, and other wildlife to restock depleted neighboring wildlife areas, and increasing the number of security patrols and vehicles. Fuzz Dyer, head of security for LWC since 1983 has moved back to his family ranch, Borona, which borders LWC. He plans to implement the same aims and principles of LWC at Borana, with the ultimate objective being to remove the fence between the two properties allowing for free movement of wildlife. If the plan works, it will create the largest conservation area made up of private and community owned land in Kenya and would create 300,000 acres for wildlife.

The population of black rhinos started with an initial translocation of 15 rhinos into the sanctuary in 1984 when it was only 5,000 acres. The sex ratio was biased towards males. Consequently, a number of the pioneer adult males were lost in the initial years due to fighting. To improve the sex ratio, 7 males have been moved to other sanctuaries. By 1994, when the sanctuary was expanded to 55,000 acres, 10 births had been recorded. 20 births were recorded between 1993 and April 2002. Peak calving occurred after the 1997 El Nino rains. One hand raised orphaned male was recently moved to the neighboring community conservation area of Il Ngwesi. There are now 32 black rhinos. The survival rate of calves has improved to 92% since 1998.

When Anna Merz first started the sanctuary in 1983, it was a struggle to find a single rhino to initially stock the sanctuary. By 1994, when the sanctuary was expanded to 55,000 acres, 10 births had been recorded. 20 births were recorded between 1993 and April 2002. During the spring of 2002, 4 black rhinos and 4 white rhinos were born bringing the total to 32 black and 33 white. 3 of these calves were born to females that were themselves born within Lewa. Lewa has begun to restock other locations to maximize the production of rhino from within Lewa. Lewa could not have become one of the most successful rhino sanctuaries in all of Kenya without the unending support of AAZK's Bowling For Rhinos.

For additional information see the Lewa website at www.lewa.org

Javan and Sumatran Rhinos

The two kinds of rhinoceros in south east Asia are the most endangered of the five surviving rhino species. There are fewer than 100 Javan rhino - about 50 in Ujung Kulon and another 20 in Cat Loc Vietnam. The Sumatran rhino is considered the most critically endangered species of rhino by the IUCN/SSC Asian Rhino Specialist Group (AsRSG). Fewer than 300 are estimated to survive worldwide. Although not as rare as the Javan rhino, poaching pressure is more intense on the Sumatran rhino whose population declined at least 50% from 1990-1995. BFR supports two National Parks in Indonesia which protect the Javan and Sumatran Rhinos. If it had not been for the support from IRF, US Fish and Wildlife Service Tiger and Rhino Conservation Fund, WWF and AAZK over the past 10 years, the Sumatran and Javan rhinos would surely have perished. We must now look to the future to maintain and increase the populations to respectable sizes.

Ujung Kulon National Park, Java, Indonesia

Ujung Kulon is a 300 square mile National Park that is home to some of the rarest plants and animals on earth. It is one of the last remaining lowland rainforests in the world with hundreds of endangered plants and animals including the Javan rhino. The annual running cost of Ujung Kulon is roughly $100,000.

Since 1996, $209,088.81 has been sent to Ujung Kulon from AAZK's BFR events. These funds where used to purchase such items as a well, pump and water tower at the Karangranjang guard post, the completion of a new patrol boat, camera units for photo trapping census of the Javan rhino, installation and maintenance of the cameras, training staff for trapping census and preparation of photo inventory of field data, 32 hand-held radios, radar unit for night patrol boat and trained a "Rhino Patrol Unit" (RPU). These are very intensive, specially trained anti-poaching units of 5 men. These RPUS are the only proven method to effectively conserve these tropical forest rhinos.

1999-2001 funds were used for the operational costs for camera checking for census work on the Javan rhino at $21,000/year and to purchase a much needed high powered patrol boat in collaboration with Minnesota Conservation Officers and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. There are currently 3 RPUs operating in Ujung Kulon. Future support will train and support the continued use of RPUs to protect wildlife, and pay for maintenance of existing buildings and equipment.

The photo-trapping census work in Ujung Kulon is now complete. 42 Javan rhinos have been individually identified including 4 calves. No poaching has occurred in Ujung Kulon over the last 3 years.

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia

Half of the monies over $100,000 raised each year from BFR will go to Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) which is believed to have one of the largest populations of Sumatran rhinos. This is a 3,568 square km protected area on the southwest side of the island of Sumatra. Asian elephant, tiger, clouded leopard, Malayan sun bear, Indian wild dog, and a substantial number of the estimated 300 Sumatran rhinos live within this park. Since 1998, $139,238.81 has been sent to Bukit Barisan from BFR funds.

For the most part, all necessary equipment and training for RPUs have been provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), (US Fish and Wildlife Rhino and Tiger Conservation Fund) USFWS RTCF, and International Rhino Foundation / IUCN Asian Rhino Specialist Group (IRF/ AsRSG). Adequate patrol shelters already exist in the Park for the patrol work of RPUs. What is needed at BBSNP for rhino conservation is operational funds for the RPUs. The operational cost for each RPU is currently $17,000/year. The RPUs are vital to the survival of Indonesia's rhinos and other wildlife. BFR money will be used in this way for the next few years.

Indonesian Rhino Conservation Program

There is now an Indonesian Rhino Conservation program (IRCP) that includes all parks with rhino populations. This program will allow funding to be used on top priority needs in top priority locations to conserve wildlife. BFR is now part of this program. This allows unused funding in any given year to go through IRCP to be reallocated to these top priority locations. This allows BFR to expand funding to include such places as Way Kambas (Eastern Sumatra) that has a large population of Sumatran rhinos. Way Kambas has the 3rd or 4th largest population of Sumatran rhinos in the world and is a crucial nucleus for the survival and recovery of this species. Currently, the best use of and greatest need for the BFR funds is to be used to establish more anti-poaching teams in Way Kambas.

For additional information on rhino conservation, see www.rhinos-irf.org or www.5tigers.org.

BFR Fund-raising Guidelines

• Events should be held between March 1- August 1st.
• I send out fliers in AKF requesting info on your upcoming event. This helps me know how many new sponsor sheets you need and when your event date is in case people in your area call me for info.
• If interested in participating, send for an information packet (or see http://www.aazkbfr.org/) and let me know the number of sponsor sheets to send.
• If you have never held an event, see how to hold a BFR event.
• There is a $25 administrative fee to participate which should be made out to "AAZK, Inc." and mailed to Patty prior to obtaining sponsor forms. This fee covers indirect costs incurred by AAZK, Inc. due to BFR ( phone, postage, faxes, bank fees, BFR trip winners tickets). First timers are exempt the first year.
• Call me if the information packet does not answer your questions (919-678-0449)
• To win the trip to Africa, all money must be sent in to me by September 1st!
• Please try to have all money sent within 30 days of your event or by September 1st. I write this workshop paper in September so if you want to be included in these totals, send in the money.
• If a chapter does not wish to send their checks certified mail, the following is the only way to insure that your check is not cashed by anyone other than AAZK, Inc.! Please write "For Deposit Only" on the back signature area of all checks. This will ensure only AAZK can deposit it instead of just anyone who may intercept it!
• Please make out one check payable to "AAZK, Inc. - Bowling For Rhinos", include a copy of your financial form & a copy of only the high money raiser's sponsor sheets and mail to:

  	Patty Pearthree c/o Bowling For Rhinos
  	318 Montibello Dr. Cary, NC 27513
  	(919)678-0449 ppear3 AT aazk DOT org
  

• Contact your local "Rhino Linings" Company (truck liners) to see if they would be willing to help your event. Items donated in the past were blow up rhinos, give-away items and a truck liner for raffle. You can contact Patty for the local contact nearest you. *It is very important to remember that we advertise 100% of all donations go towards conservation. All donations from donors must be submitted to AAZK Bowling For Rhinos for this to be true. This means that your organization must cover any expenses for this event. This can be done by charging a fee for bowlers, through silent auctions, door prize raffles, your local organizations funds, etc.
• Anyone can join the Bowl-a-thon so don't limit yourselves to only zoo people. However, be sure it is clear that only National AAZK members are allowed to win the trip. If you have a potential winner, ask them to join AAZK.
• No matter how small the chapter is or how few bowlers you have, every dollar helps so don't be afraid to give Bowling For Rhinos a shot!