Why Rhinos?
"Each year the American Association of Zoo keepers (AAZK) sponsors fund raising bowling events around the globe called “Bowling For Rhinos” (BFR) which also encompass other fun events such as Winos for Rhinos, Curling for Rhinos, Ri=ummage for Rhinos, et. al. Over 85 AAZK chapters participate throughout the US and Canada raising over $600,000 annually.
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, greater one-horned, 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 greater one-horned population remains at 2,000. The Sumatran species numbers around 200 and the Javan species has fewer than 60 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 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, trans-locate rhino into the sanctuaries/parks, purchase trip cameras for censusing, and salaries for anti-poaching security guards to name a few." (www.aazk.org)
Funds raised from BFR events support the following locations. These sanctuaries don't just protect rhinos. The protect entire ecosystems from orchids to elephants and everything in between!
- Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (LWC) in Kenya
- Action for Cheetahs in Kenya (ACK), which shares a portion of the land mass with LWC
- International Rhino Foundation
- Ujung Kulon National Park in Java
- Indonesia and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) and Way Kambas in Sumatra via the International Rhino Foundation (IRF)
We CAN make a difference if we all work together!
Endangered means there is still time. Extinction means forever!
