Indonesia in 2019 received another visit from Bowling for Rhinos or BfR, a fundraising event to help save rhinos in Indonesia. The visit took place from 10 to 19 July 2019 by 7 people, Stacy Strother, Amy Marie Mathews, Jenna Christine Wingate, Kathleen Nicole Van Singel, Scott Anthony Wingate, Ellen Wieczorek, Kelly Russo and Sectionov (IRF) as travel coordinators. This event was initiated by several members of The American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) in the United States. The results of the fundraising were given to IRF (International Rhino Foundation) to support the operational work of the RPU, and ILEU YABI in TNBBS, TNWK and TNUK, and SRS in TNWK.
The trip began by visiting the Ujung Kulon National Park area on July 10, 2019 after stopping at the TNUK Balai office in Labuan, Pandeglang Regency, Banten on a courtesy visit to Ujung Kulon National Park colleagues. The team continued their journey to Sumur then to Handeleum Island accompanied by the Rhino Protection Unit (RPU).
The following day, July 11, 2019, the BfR team travelled to Laban – Karang Ranjang and Cilintang in Javan Rhino Study and Conservation Area JRSCA. There, the BfR team was given a presentation about JRSCA activities and continued the visit to the Plot 37 Langkap and came across a willow of the Rhinos in the JRSCA area. In the afternoon, the BfR team received a courtesy visit by the Head of the national park where they discussed and shared the latest information regarding the conservation of species. After that, they returned to Handeleum Island and in the evening the BfR team was given a presentation about the Ujung Kulon Rhino Protection Unit activities in 2019.
On the 3rd day on July 12, 2019, the BfR team travelled to the Gardu Buruk of the Transect 8 route and continued travelling cross-country. In that journey, the team encountered signs of rhino presence such as footprints, dirt, rhino food, puddles, rhinoceros urine, rhino body scraping and sleeping rhinos. After that, they canoed along the Cigenteur River. On this occasion, the team also visited Cigenteur pasture field, then returned to Handeleum Island.
On the 4th day, the BfR team returned to Sumur. When they arrived, they took part in a farewell event and received a wooden rhino statue as a token of appreciation from the whole Ujung Kulon team.
After resting for 1 day in Jakarta, on July 15, 2019, the BfR team continued their travel to Lampung, Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (TNBBS). Arriving at BBSNP, the team was welcomed by the Head of BBSNP then headed to Camp 50. At this location, the team received a presentation from the YABI RPU at BBS and then stayed overnight. The next day, the BfR team took a hiking trip around Camp 50 and then planted trees around the Camp 50 area.
After that, the BfR team travelled to Way Kambas National Park, SRS and spent the night at SRS. On July 17, 2019, the BfR team visited a male rhino in SRS and went to see the SRS expansion project and the restoration activities in Rawa Bunder and also see the RPU base camp and get a presentation from RPU YABI in Way Kambas.
After returning to SRS, in the evening the team received a presentation from the SRS then on the next day, July 18, 2019, the BfR team went to see a female rhino in SRS, travel to the Way Kanan to see activities carried out by the Way Kambas RPU. And on the last day on July 19, 2019, the BfR team was again going to see a rhino before leaving for Jakarta to return to America.