Frequently Asked Questions
For questions regarding the game play please download our FAQ and Advanced Rules Booklet.
1. Does the points value reflect how endangered the species is?
Not necessarily. All the eight species are classified as Critically Endangered and no 'league tables' exist for which species are more endangered than others. Also the populations and status of endangered species can change over time.
2. Why isn’t there the same number of wildlife cards for each species?
In Wildlife Rescue some species have 3 wildife cards (e.g. dama gazelle), some species have 2 cards (e.g. Ceylon Rose butterfly) and the there is only one card for the Javan rhino. The number of cards is one of the factors that determines the points value for a species. Players do need to know the technical reasons for this to enjoy the game. However, advanced players can find out more about the finely-tuned game mechanism in our resources section.
3. What is a Critically Endangered species?
A species may be classified as Critically Endangered for several reasons, including when experts believe it is likely to become extinct in the wild within ten years. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the world authority on endangered species. For more information visit the IUCN website [ www.iucn.org ].
4. Why do zoos keep endangered species?
Keeping endangered species in captivity is often necessary for the survival of a Critically Endangered species. Zoos, such as Marwell Zoological Park near Winchester, which provided the inspiration for Wildlife Rescue, play a vital part in the global effort to save threatened animals by developing conservation breeding programmes and implementing conservation activities in the animal's natural habitat. For example, the last remaining California Condors, a species featured in the game, were taken into captivity in 1987. Without zoo conservation programmes that led to its re-introduction into the wild, this species would have become extinct.
5. What is ARKive?
All the information and images used in Wildlife Rescue have been sourced from ARKive [ www.arkive.org ], the world's centralised and permanent digital library of films and photographs of endangered species - accessible to all online and preserved for future generations. The ARKive project is run by Wildscreen, a UK-based educational charity working globally to promote the public appreciation of biodiversity and the conservation of nature through the power of wildlife imagery. Patrons include Sir David Attenborough. A letter from ARKive and facts on endangered species are included with the Wildlife Rescue game.
6. Why is Dice Maestro donating to ARKive?
Firstly – and most importantly – we believe it would be indefensible to make profits from a game about endangered species without giving something back to help promote their conservation. Second, ARKive was invaluable in obtaining information and imagery for the game. Finally, as a matter of principle, we believe companies, whatever their size and industry, must actively support the community on which their sales depend.
