Save the Rhino Fundraising and
Information Pack
This Fundraising and Information Pack is intended to answer some of the most
Frequently Asked Questions on holding a fundraising event or taking part in a
challenge for Save the Rhino. Inside, you’ll find advice on:
1. Why save rhinos?
2. About Save the Rhino International
3. What does your money go to support?
4. The who, when and how of fundraising for Save the Rhino
If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please call Jo at Rhino HQ. Jo is Save the
Rhino’s Events Manager, and she’ll offer as much help and advice as she can.
Jo Paulson
Events Manager
Save the Rhino International
16 Winchester Walk
London
SE1 9AQ
T: 020 7357 7474
E: [email protected]
1. Why save rhinos?
At the turn of the 19th century, there were approximately one million rhinos. In 1970, there were around
70,000. Today, there are fewer than 25,000 rhinos surviving in the wild:
 50 Javan rhinos
 200 Sumatran rhinos
 2,800 Greater one-horned (Indian) rhinos
 4,800 black rhinos
 20,100 white rhinos
Rhinos are an integral part of the ecosystem
Rhinoceroses are huge mega-herbivores and impact greatly on their environment by shaping the landscape. Of
the five species, three are pure browsers; the black, Sumatran and Javan, one is a pure grazer, the white, while
the greater one-horned is perhaps somewhere in between. The browsers each feed on more than 200 species
of plants. By forcing through thick scrub and forest like a tank, they open up access for other species and, by
continuously browsing shrubs and small trees, rhinos shape the way they grow and keep them short and
accessible to a whole range of smaller leaf eaters.
The seeds rhinos eat take three days to pass through their gut and so
when passed out – in their own, ready-made pile of fertiliser – they may be
many kilometres from the parent plant. The dung also enriches the soil,
returning vital nutrients and organic matter that improve the soil structure
for the plant communities, as well as feeding whole communities of soil
organisms that are the foundations of an ecosystem. The dung piles,
known as middens, of rhinos also attract a great variety of animals: those
that directly use or eat the dung such as dung flies and dung beetles; and
those that feed on the invertebrates that are attracted there, including
lizards, many birds such as flycatchers and hornbills, and many kinds of
other insectivorous animals.
All rhinos are extremely fond of wallowing and will dig to create wallows for themselves. These then become
used by many different species for bathing and drinking, and become breeding sites for animals that require
small pools of open water to complete their lifecycles, such as frogs, many insects and a huge array of other
invertebrates. Rhinos are great diggers and excavate minerals from the ground using their horns and feet. This
provides an important service for those species requiring, but unable to open up, the earth for themselves.
Protect the rhino, and you protect all the other species that share their habitat.
Which species are under threat and why?
Two rhino subspecies are thought to have become extinct within the last 3 to 4 years. The last wild
Northern white rhinos, formerly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, were exterminated by poaching as
late as 2006.
The Western black rhino subspecies, formerly found in Cameroon, has been presumed extinct since
2006. Opportunistic poaching by people hunting for bushmeat is thought to be responsible for their
extinction.
The story for the five rhino species today differs from species to species, and from country to country.
The common problem is the growing demand for rhino horn from increasingly wealthy consumers in the
Far East, where rhino horn is illegally sold for high sums of money on the black market. It is used in
Traditional Chinese Medicine to suppress fevers, though there is no scientific evidence supporting its
effectiveness, and in the Middle East, where, despite being illegal, rhino horn is used to make ornamental
dagger handles in Yemen and Oman.
Common factors that aid poaching include: political, economic and social turmoil, as in Zimbabwe since
2000 and in Nepal during the Maoist crisis; habitat loss due to human population growth and the
corresponding increase in demand for natural resources; encroachment into protected areas; and, in
Asia, illegal logging and the expansion of oil palm plantations. Further, climate change will threaten
ecosystems that currently provide suitable habitat for rhinos and other codependent species.
Current status of each species
The Black Rhino
Population: 4,800. Current status: Critically Endangered
Black rhinos in South Africa have suffered from a rise in poaching in National Parks, game reserves and
in private reserves. In Zimbabwe, at least 142 rhinos (black and white) have been slaughtered since the
beginning of 2008. There has been a major change in the last 18 months, with opportunistic poaching by
local people being replaced by well-armed criminal gangs. The failure of the Zimbabwe authorities to
successfully prosecute any rhino poacher, despite hard evidence, since 2006, has increased the
confidence of the poachers.
Kenya has also suffered from intermittent rhino poaching over the last few years. Recent poaching is now
linked to the increased Chinese footprint in Africa, with mining and road-building contracts linked to
higher bribes offered to local people in return for poaching targeted wildlife species, including rhino.
Spiraling prices are making it difficult for anti-poaching organisations to offer corresponding incentives
and rewards for information leading to arrests. In July 2009, a rhino was poached in the Masai Mara
Game Reserve for the first time in many years.
The Southern White Rhino
Population: 20,100. Current status: Near Threatened
Approximately 93% of the Southern white rhinos are found in South Africa, which has been hit hard by
poaching in the last year. There have been documented cases of Far Eastern nationals smuggling
poached rhino horn via diplomatic bags, and of organised poaching gangs targeting rhino populations in
National Parks such as Kruger National Park. 333 rhinos (mainly white, some black) were poached in
South Africa between in 2010 alone.
South Africa’s highly lucrative sport hunting permits for white rhinos were previously expensive enough to
deter all but trophy hunters; now, it seems that the value of horn has risen such that criminal gangs are
buying hunting permits, in order to secure an export license for the intact head.
The Greater one-horned rhino
Population: 2,850. Current Status: Vulnerable
Nepal’s rhinos are found in three locations: Chitwan National Park, Bardia National Park, and
Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve. All three areas have been hit by poaching, with culprits including members
of the Nepalese army, which provides security for the Parks. Carcasses were recently discovered buried
within Bardia National Park, which has hidden the
problem from rhino monitors for some time.
Most of India’s rhinos are found in Assam and,
particularly, in Kaziranga National Park. After years
of steady growth in 2007, the Kaziranga population
lost 19 animals in 2008, 16 of which were due to
poaching. Seven rhinos have been poached in
Assam in 2009. Problems include under-equipped
and trained Forest Department staff, and lack of
intelligence about the routes used by the trade in
illegal wildlife products.
The Sumatran rhino
Population: Approximately 200. Current Status: Critically Endangered.
With only 175 rhinos left in Sumatra,
Indonesia and 25 left in Sabah, Malaysia, the
thick forest and difficult terrain makes it
extremely difficult to accurately know the
population size. The biggest problem for the
Sumatran rhino is the loss of habitat from
encroachment, illegal logging, and growing
population pressures. Additionally, the survival
of the 75 or so rhinos in Peninsula Malaysia is
now in doubt.
The Javan rhino
Population: Approximately 50. Current Status: Critically Endangered
Found in only one location, Ujung Kulon National Park, Java, Indonesia, the species’ confinement in one
location is of growing concern to rhino experts because of the risk of disease and natural disasters. A
coalition of NGOs and the Indonesian government agreed in early 2009 to establish a second population
in another location; the results of a habitat study to assess the viability of other locations are expected
shortly.
2. About Save the Rhino International
Mission statement
Save the Rhino works to conserve viable populations of critically endangered rhinos in Africa and Asia.
We recognise that the future of wildlife is inextricably linked to the communities that share its habitat. By
funding field projects and through education, our goal is to deliver material, long-lasting and widespread
benefits to rhinos and other endangered species, ecosystems and to the people living in these areas.
Aims
 To increase the number of rhinos in genetically viable populations in the wild
 To enhance the integrity of ecosystems
 To ensure that local communities benefit from conservation activities
Primary objectives
 To provide financial support for in situ projects focused on all five of the rhinoceros species
 To encourage and enable the sharing of information, experience and skills between rhino
programmes, ex situ and conservation organisations
 To measure and improve the effectiveness of our grant-making and charitable activities
 To raise awareness of the need for rhino conservation and communicate the work of Save the Rhino
Our approach
 We employ a pragmatic approach focused on viable populations, and are not sentiment-driven
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We support the sustainable use of natural resources for the mutual benefit of wildlife, habitat and
local communities
We support the sustainable use of wildlife (i.e. culling, cropping and hunting) provided it is legal and
the profits are ploughed back into conservation
Our staff and structure
We began fundraising for in situ rhino conservation projects in 1992 and were formally registered as a
charity (number 1035072) in 1994. As such, we are governed by the Charity Commission for England
and Wales and, like any other company or charity, our accounts are audited each year.
Save the Rhino has a Board of five Trustees, who are all actively involved in the charity. They meet four
times a year to make decisions about funding applications and review the success of past grants, as well
as to determine future direction and develop new fundraising initiatives. They review our accounts on a
monthly basis. In addition, we have a group of Patrons, who act as ambassadors for Save the Rhino and
who help in a variety of ways.
We have six members of staff and are based in central London.
Our fundraising activities
We raised £989,338 in the financial year 2010-11, focusing on three main income streams: events (the
London Marathon, ultra-marathons, parties, comedy nights, lectures etc.); grant-making companies,
trusts and foundations; and other strands such as donations, merchandise, membership, Gift Aid etc.
Alongside these are a number of smaller income streams that are extremely important for us: restricted /
unrestricted and solicited / unsolicited donations; legacies; a membership scheme; merchandise sales
and Gift Aid reclaim.
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What does your money go to support?
The funds we raise are used to support projects that address rhino conservation through a number of
measures:
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Community conservation programmes that develop sustainable methods by which local communities
can creatively manage natural resources
Environmental education programmes that teach children and adults about the importance of
preserving natural resources and address human-wildlife conflict issues
Anti-poaching and monitoring patrols, which detect and deter poachers and gather information about
rhino ranges and numbers
Translocations, so that rhinos from established populations can be reintroduced to former habitats
Research into the threats to rhino survival and alternatives to the use of rhino horn
Veterinary work, such as the implanting of transmitters into horns, or removal of snares
About a third of the money we raise goes to support local communities living in key rhino areas, whether
through environmental education programmes, or through community conservation activities (tree
seedling projects, bee-keeping etc.)
An example: The Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary, Tanzania
 Location: Mkomazi National Park, Tanzania
 Project leader: Tony Fitzjohn
 Rhino species: Black rhino (Diceros bicornis michaeli)
 Rhino numbers: 12
 Size of protected area: 3,270 km2
 Activities: Anti-poaching, monitoring, Environmental Education programme – Rafiki wa Faru
Managed by the legendary conservationist Tony Fitzjohn of the George Adamson Wildlife Preservation
Trust, the Mkomazi Game Reserve is the first and only rhino sanctuary in Tanzania. Currently twelve
black rhinos (one calf was born only recently) live in the Sanctuary, and the animals are protected by a
team of dedicated anti-poaching patrols.
This project is at an exciting stage, as Mkomazi has recently been declared as a fully protected National
Park which no doubt will increase public interest and tourist numbers. In conjunction with this change, an
Environmental Education programme (Rafiki Wa Faru), kitted with a special bus, has been developed for
area. Many African children don’t see wildlife in its natural environment (let alone rhinos), although
tourists visit their counties are exactly for that reason. The new programme means that local children now
too have opportunity to access the National Park, and are able to form a long-term link with their
environment. The bus also visits remote schools to teach pupils about the environment and what they
can do to protect it.
4. The who, when and how of fundraising for Save the Rhino
Rhinos in Action
Save the Rhino has a long history of supporters undertaking
crazy feats – including running across deserts in rhino
costume and climbing to the top of Kilimanjaro with Douglas
Adams joining for a stint. But we also have many supporters
who have held fun and interesting fundraising events for
rhino conservation. These include…
Pub Quiz Night – the Bath Skeptical society held a ‘geek pride’ pub quiz for
us to honor the Douglas Adams connection
Book sale – a local school held a book sale
Going Down South – traveling from the UK to South Africa in a landrover
Mongol rally – traveling from the UK to Mongolia in a “woefully unsuitable
vehicle”
Jail break – some students blagged their way to Brussels in 24 hours
without spending a penny
Horny@50 dinner – one supporter held a black tie dinner at Lord’s cricket
ground
Balloon release – at a local fair, one supporter sold environmentally
friendly balloons to be released in a big bundle at a set time
Cookie sales – branded with Save the Rhino logos
Fundraising bbq – from one of our South African supporters
Indian night for Indian rhinos – cooking Indian food for friends
Other successful fundraising events have included: a garage sale, online auction, cake sale, sports
tournament, enchilada sale, karaoke night, cheese and wine night, movie night, and many more.
Running a Fundraising Event
Events don't have to be huge to work. They just need to be fun,
interesting and with lots of potential for people to get into the spirit and
donate at a fun social occasion. Try and tailor your event to the group,
and find something your friends will be enthusiastic about. (If you are
daunted by the idea of hosting an event, why not organise it with a group
of friends?)
If your event is open to anyone, make sure you promote your event as
widely as you can and as early as you can. Tell your friends and family;
put up posters in your local supermarket / sports centre / post office, etc;
spread the word on Facebook and Twitter; promote it round your work /
school / university; contact your local newspaper and radio station.
Remember that people will need more than one reminder before they
commit to coming to your event, so don’t be afraid to bug people.
Create a budget – make sure you look at any costs that might be involved
and look at what you expect to raise at the event. You want to make sure
before you start planning that the event will raise money! Think about what you will need – food, drink,
volunteers, music, venue, decoration, prizes, collection boxes, etc. Decide how you’re going to raise
funds – are you going to ask for donations, an entrance fee, are you going to hold a raffle or a
competition or ask local businesses to help with sponsorship or raffle prizes?
Fundraising in public
Please be aware that you cannot fundraise in public areas or door to door without prior written permission
from the local council. You also need to have written permission from Transport for London if you plan to
fundraise on the London Underground, or from the local railway station / supermarket / pub etc. If you are
holding a public event, you should seek further advice on health and safety guidelines (especially if you
are handling food), drinks licenses and gambling licenses if you are holding a lottery or a raffle.
Getting Sponsorship
Perhaps you are undertaking a challenge where you require sponsorship. Here are some tips that might
help…
Who to approach:
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Friends and family
Your company: Many big companies do ‘sponsorship matching’, where they will match any donations
given to you by others. Why not check, as it will be half the effort!
Other companies: Companies do give corporate donations, but be aware many may get approached
by lots of people. If you have links with companies through work or socially, see if they would be
willing to make a donation to help you on your way
Get the community involved. You are doing an amazing thing for a good cause, and local people
should be proud and willing to help you out.
When to approach:
Don't be afraid to ask people. You are doing it for charity, and the worst they can do is say no. Be proud
that you have taken on such a big challenge, and make sure everyone knows about it.
A month or so before the big day, email or write to everyone again to let them know about the event, and
how they can follow your progress. You usually need to remind people three times in order to get a
donation, so don’t be disheartened if your first email doesn’t get much of a response.
Ask people again immediately after the event. An email or letter to your supporters is great as you will still
be hyped-up and your enthusiasm will show in your correspondence. Be aware that it will soon fade. As
the weeks go by so will the willingness of your sponsors to hand over cash.
How to approach:
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Letters, e-mails and phone calls. People are normally very willing to donate to charity, but are also
forgetful. Make it easy for them to give to you straight away, rather than make a vague promise that
will take a lot of time chasing up. We have sponsorship forms we can send you if you require.
Publicity: Contact your local paper or company newsletter to run a story on you and then add your
contact details and / or a link to your online fundraising page
Online fundraising: This is the easiest and quickest way for people to sponsor you. You can now raise
your sponsorship money without even leaving your chair. No more dealing with cash or cheques, no
more hassling friends and family. All you do is create your own internet sponsorship page, email it to
all your friends and get them to donate online with a credit or debit card. You can add the URL to the
bottom of all your emails, and it is an easy way to monitor the amount you have raised. Plus, online
donations from UK taxpayers are automatically Gift Aided, and secure servers mean all card
information is totally safe. There are two options.
 http://uk.virginmoney.com/virgin/giving
 www.justgiving.com
 http://www.crowdrise.com/about/ways-to-fundraise
Personalised Text Donation Service
Just Giving has recently introduced a free text donation service – Just Text Giving. Once you have set up
a page you will be able to acquire a personal six figure code that your supporters can text. Display the
text code on training vests, facebook pages, websites and more to provide a quick and easy way for your
supporters to donate. All texts are free, so 100% of the donation goes to your charity.
http://www.justgiving.com/justtextgiving/fundraisers/
Gift Aid
Gift Aid is a scheme that enables charities to claim tax back on all donations made by individual UK
taxpayers. It may be boring to see it everywhere on the bottom of forms, but it can make a huge
difference to the amount of money we get donated, and at no extra cost to anyone. All we need from your
sponsors is their full name and address and their authorisation by ticking the appropriate box alongside
their name on a sponsorship form.
We cannot emphasise strongly enough the value of this scheme to Save the Rhino. For every £1 in
sponsorship we receive from individuals we can claim 25p from the Inland Revenue at no extra cost to
the donor. Please try your very best to ensure that all donations are Gift Aided. Please reassure your
sponsors that we will never use these details to contact them; they are just needed so that the Inland
Revenue can find out who they are and confirm that they are eligible.
Sending your fundraising to Save the Rhino
There are a number of ways you can send in the money you raise from fundraising events or challenges.
Online: through an online donation page (like Virgin Money Giving or Just Giving)
Through the donation pages on the Save the Rhino website www.savetherhino.org
Bank transfer: ask Jo at Save the Rhino for details
By post: please do not send cash through the post. Send a cheques or CAF voucher made out to Save
the Rhino International. Consider sending large cheques by recorded delivery.
Rhino goodies to buy
Be the first to show your support for rhinos! You can order online or by getting in touch with Save the
Rhino.
Cuddly Rhinos
£6
Canvas Bag
£5
Car stickers
£1.50
Greetings cards
£4 per pack
Rangers caps
£12
Pin badges
£4
Rhino badges
£1.50
T-shirts
£7.50 - £15
Rhino books
Various
Embroidered ranger
badges
£3.50
Importantly – make sure you tell Save the Rhino of your plans and send us your pictures after the
event so we can thank you properly!
& of course, enjoy the moment!
For you are enabling teams of a very different sort to safeguard rhino and their ecosystems!