Cloud Computing to Aid Endangered-Species Conservation Efforts
A major network of zoos and aquariums in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific is implementing a cloud-computing solution to improve efficiency and encourage collaboration between conservation scientists.
The business world has been profiting from the cost-saving benefits of cloud computing, and now the animal kingdom could also benefit from the technology. The Zoo and Aquarium Association of Australia is using IBM cloud-based social-collaboration services to improve its endangered-species program.
The cloud-computing solution will enable the system of zoos to spend more time and funds on the species that they work to protect.
The Zoo and Aquarium Association connects nearly a hundred zoos from across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific with goals, including wildlife research and education. Its conservation programs work to protect species both in the wild and in captivity.
The new cloud network was donated as a part of IBM’s Trailblazer program, which provides software, services and consulting grants to local nonprofits. LotusLive Engage, a suite of cloud-based collaboration tools, is allowing zookeepers and conservation planners to host online meetings, as well as share and edit information. The technology also includes instant messaging and video-conferencing capabilities to let scientists connect between different zoos.
"The LotusLive solution allows us to coordinate programs across regions much more easily and quickly. It also assists us in sharing educational resources and encourages collaboration on priority projects such as the grey nurse shark captive management plan, which is the first of its kind in the world. Knowing that this knowledge-sharing takes place within a stable and secure environment offers peace of mind," Martin Phillips, executive director of the Zoo and Aquarium Association, said in a statement.
The Zoo and Aquarium Association’s endangered-species programs are among the largest in the world, and migrating to the cloud should increase their long-term success.
"As our knowledge and use of the software grows, we anticipate some key future benefits for our keepers who are often on the ground with animals and do not have easy access to a desktop computer,” continued Phillips. “LotusLive has the potential to enable keepers to log into the Cloud from the field via a mobile device and search for a specialist in real-time anywhere across the APAC [Asia-Pacific] region.”
"Organizations of all sizes are reaping the benefits of social networking and collaboration in the cloud," Andrew Hocking, corporate citizenship & affairs manager, IBM Australia and New Zealand, said in a statement. "The Zoo and Aquarium Association is passionate about the survival of many of the world's endangered species, and we are honored that our technology will help ZAA achieve its goals."
Source : Smarter Technology
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