<a href="#q1">What is "Bowling For  Rhinos"?</a>
<a href="#q2">Why save Rhinos?</a>
<a href="#q3">Where do Bowling For Rhinos  Funds go?</a>
<a href="#q4">Are donations to Bowling  For Rhinos tax deductible?</a>
<a href="#q5">How can I help?</a>
<a href="#q6">Do you need to be an AAZK  member to bowl?</a>
<a href="#q7">How many chapters  participate?</a>
<a href="#q10">Why not bowl for a  different animal each year?</a>
<a href="#q11">We noticed the name of the  event was changed, why is that?</a>
<a href="#q12">Where can I get more  information?</a>

<hr /><strong><a name="q1"><big>Q: What is "Bowling For Rhinos"?</big></a></strong>
<strong><big></big></strong>

<strong><big><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-1308" title="bfr_logo_497x497" src="http://aecetia.net/gws/aazk/wp-content/uploads/bfr_logo_497x497-150x150.jpg" alt="bfr_logo_497x497" width="90" height="90" />A:</big></strong> Each year the American Association of Zoo keepers (AAZK)  sponsors a fund raising bowl-a-thon called "Bowling For Rhinos" (BFR).  Over 60 AAZK chapters participate  throughout the US and Canada raising between $200,000- $300,000 annually. But our goal is raise $500,000 annually. BFR funds support LWC- Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (formerly called Ngare Sergoi  rhino sanctuary) in Kenya, Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia  and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP)and Way Kambas in  Sumatra.  These sanctuaries not only save rhinos but also these entire  ecosystems!

<a name="q2"> </a>

<strong><a name="q2"><big>Q: Why save Rhinos?</big></a></strong> <strong>
<big></big></strong>

<strong><big>A:</big></strong> Rhinos have lived on earth for over 50 million years but whether they  survive even 50 more years is open to speculation. Only 5 species of  rhino exist today when once there were over 100 species.  All 5 species-  The White, Black, Indian, Sumatran and Javan are endangered.  Only the  white rhino with a population of 4,600 seems to be somewhat safe from  extinction.  In 1960, 60,000 black rhinos roamed Africa. Today only  2,500 remain in isolated populations.  On the Asian continent, the  Indian population remains at 2,000. The Sumatran species numbers around 200 and the Javan species has only 47 animals.

The black rhino is a symbol of conservation in Africa as our bald eagle  is to those of us in the United States. If the black rhino were to go extinct what message would we give our children?  The rhino is a large, flagship species.  By striving to save the rhino, we save large expanses of habitat.  By saving these habitats, we are saving many endangered  species, not just the rhino.

The rhino is our link to the dinosaurs as it has lived on earth over 50  million years but it can not survive machine guns and man.  The rhino is  killed for its horn to be used in oriental medicines and as symbolic dagger handles.  So valuable is the horn to poachers that the rhino can not survive unless it is on protected sanctuaries such as LWC and the Indonesian parks.  "BFR"  money is used to fence in these areas, purchase planes and land rover vehicles to curtail poaching, translocate rhino into the sanctuary, purchase trip cameras for censusing, and salaries for anti-poaching security guards to name a few.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1243" title="aazk-color-logo-c2a8" src="http://aecetia.net/gws/aazk/wp-content/uploads/aazk-color-logo-c2a8.jpg" alt="aazk-color-logo-c2a8" width="56" height="68" />The black rhino is AAZK National's symbol and we believe we have an  obligation to save it and the other rhino species from extinction.  Through our efforts, we feel we can save valuable habitats and the animals living in their safe havens for future generations to enjoy.

<a name="q3"> </a>

<strong><a name="q3"><big>Q: Where do Bowling For Rhinos Funds go?</big></a></strong> <strong>
<big></big></strong>

<strong><big>A:</big></strong> 100% of all funds raised goes directly to in situ  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.

In 1994, "BFR" expanded their funding efforts to include Ujung Kulon.  This is a 300 square mile National Park on the island of Java  (Indonesia) which is home to some of the rarest animals on earth!  Ujung  Kulon supports the last 47 Javan rhinos in the world (with a few  discovered in Viet Nam), 40 species of mammals, 250 species of birds,  many rare amphibians and reptiles including the green sea turtle. In  fact, Java is home to one eighth of the world's mammals, birds, reptile,  amphibian and plant species although it only occupies one percent of  the globes land surface!

In 1997, "BFR" again expanded their funding efforts to include Bukit  Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP). 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 200 Sumatran rhinos live within  this park. $25,000 / year is needed at BBSNP  to provide additional  patrol stations, patrol equipment and training of park guards in anti-  poaching skills.

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 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.

Our first $160,000 raised each year goes to LWC. 50% of the monies raised over that amount are sent to the International Rhino Foundation to help fund their Indonesian programs. 40% of the monies over $160,000 are sent to LWC and 8% is sent to Action for Cheetah in Kenya. The final 2% of monies raised over the $160,000 mark are then set aside for fund the <a href="http://aecetia.net/gws/aazk/committee/bowling-for-rhinos/bowling-for-rhinos-conservation-resource-fund-grant/">BFR Conservation Resource Fund Grant </a>administered by the AAZK.

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<strong><a name="q4"><big>Q: Are donations to Bowling For Rhinos tax  deductible?</big></a></strong> <strong>
<big></big></strong>

<strong><big>A:</big></strong> Yes, BFR is covered under AAZK's tax # 23-7274856 as a 501  (c)(3) organization.  Also, remember to check with your employer to see  if they have a matching gift program as an easy way to double your  donation.

<a name="q5"> </a>

<strong><a name="q5"><big>Q: How can I help?</big></a></strong> <strong>
<big></big></strong>

<strong><big>A:</big></strong> You can help by participating in your local AAZK Chapter's  Bowling For Rhinos fundraiser or by donating to someone who is. <a href="http://aecetia.net/gws/aazk/links/aazk-local-chapters">Click  here</a> to locate a chapter nearest you. You can then contact that chapter to see if they are hosting an event.

<a name="q6"> </a>

<strong><a name="q6"><big>Q: Do you need to be an AAZK member to bowl?</big></a></strong> <strong>
<big></big></strong>

<strong><big>A:</big></strong> No. Anyone can join the Bowl-A-Thon and have fun.

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<strong><a name="q7"><big>Q: How many chapters participate?</big></a></strong> <strong>
<big></big></strong>

<strong><big>A:</big></strong> Approximately 60 chapters participate each year with about  55 events (some bowl together) in U.S. and Canada.

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<a name="q10"> </a>

<strong><a name="q10"><big>Q: Why not bowl for a different animal each  year?</big></a></strong> <strong>
<big></big></strong>

<strong><big>A:</big></strong> It takes about 5 years for a fund raiser to take hold  where the public looks forward to it so it is important to keep the name  the same. BFR saves rhino habitat so it saves everything from orchids  to sea turtles to elephants. In fact, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya  has more elephants (300) than rhino (80). BFR also saves cheetah,  Grevy's zebra, Sumatran tigers, Malayan sun bears and tapirs, Javan  gibbons and the coral reefs,  just to name a few.

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<strong><a name="q11"><big>Q: We noticed the name of the event was  changed, why is that?</big></a></strong> <strong>
<big></big></strong>

<strong><big>A:</big></strong> Yes, the official name is now "American Association of Zoo  Keepers Bowling For Rhinos, sponsored by Blue Rhino<sup>®</sup>". We now have an  official corporate sponsor, the good people at <a href="http://www.bluerhino.com/">Blue Rhino</a>. Blue Rhino<sup>® </sup> had been  looking for a way to support conservation of their namesake, the rhino,  and chose to contribute to our fundraising efforts. Part of our  agreement was to add their name as our sponsor, update our fundraising  documentation to include their name and logo, and in turn they'll donate  significant funds to the program.

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<strong><a name="q12"><big>Q: Where can I get more information?</big></a></strong> <strong>
<big></big></strong>

<strong><big>A:</big></strong> Hopefully, you can find most of what you're looking for on  our website. If there are things we can add that are useful, please let  us know. Additionally, you can find out more through some of the  programs that we participate in, <a href="http://www.lewa.org">www.lewa.org</a>,  <a href="http://www.rhinos-irf.org/">www.rhinos-irf.org</a> and <a href="http://www.actionforcheetahs.org/">www.actionforcheetahs.org</a>.