There won't be any rhinos present, but organizers promise plenty of fun.
"Where else can you go to get all the pizza and soda you can eat, plus three bowling games, including shoes, and have all of the money go to such a great cause?" asks Bethany Bingham, chairwoman for the event and president of the Utah chapter of AAZK.
The AAZK was formed in 1967 in San Diego, Calif., and comprises professional animal keepers and aquarists. The group's purpose is to bring awareness to conservation projects and highlight the need to preserve natural resources and animal life. Currently, there are 2,800 members nationwide.
For the past 14 years, the Utah chapter of the AAZK has raised $90,000 through its Bowling for Rhinos event. The money benefits rhino survival programs like the one at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya. These funds also offer financial aid to the fewer than 14,000 rhinos that remain in the wild worldwide.
Bingham was one of the staff members invited to visit Sumatra and Lewa, and the first person ever invited to travel to both of these countries.
"I had the opportunity to see where all of the money is going, with the main goal being the conservation of rhinos," she said. "Plus, I saw three of the five species and footprints of the fourth, the Javan, which there are very few of in the world today. Do you know how exciting that was? I love rhinos, so this was very exciting for me.
"Rhinos are a somewhat misunderstood animal," Bingham said. "They are very prehistoric. They have very interesting personalities, are really intelligent, fun to work with, run very fast and move around a lot more elegantly than you would think. Rhinos look cumbersome, but did you know they can actually spin on a dime?"
Rhinos have lived on the earth for more than 50 million years.
Today, the five remaining rhino species are endangered. Four of the five species are on the brink of extinction. By saving the rhino, large areas of habitat are also preserved. By saving these habitats, many other endangered species, including elephants, cheetahs, zebras, Sumatran tigers, Malayan sun bears and tapirs can also saved.
Registration for the fundraiser is $25. Participants who raise $50 or more will receive a Bowling for Rhinos T-shirt and will be eligible to win a variety of door prizes.
Bowlers can register in advance or at the door the night of the event, though pre-registration is preferred to accommodate large groups. All donations are tax-deductible.
"My favorite part of this event is seeing everyone in the community come together for a great cause," Bingham says.
