Wildlife Sanctuary Receives Cisco and IBM Technology Donation to Improve Animal Care and Educate Public on Endangered Animals

SAN JOSE, Calif., and ARMONK, N.Y. -Cisco® and IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a joint initiative to outfit the wildlife sanctuary, Carnivore Preservation Trust (CPT) in Pittsboro, N.C., with a high-performance server and networking infrastructure and other state-of-the-art technology. The Carnivore Preservation Trust is a nonprofit organization that rescues and nurses back to health leopards, tigers, binturongs and other carnivores. With voice, video and Web technology provided by Cisco and IBM, CPT staff and volunteers can improve the quality of care they provide to the exotic carnivores and can better educate the public on the importance of saving these endangered animals.

Since it was founded in 1981, CPT has rescued animals that have been abandoned, abused or confiscated. Currently, CPT offers on-site tours and programs to educate the public on wildlife preservation. CPT has relied on individual contributions and donated time from more than 100 dedicated volunteers to run the sanctuary for as many as 85 animals at a time.

CPT’s daily operations were inhibited by its aging technology infrastructure that included failing servers, spotty Internet access, no voicemail and a lack of modern mobile telephony to communicate in the field. Every day the volunteers monitor the daily activities and health of each animal and store the information on databases. At the same time, CPT receives numerous calls each month from pet owners who can no longer handle grown tigers, authorities who confiscate large cats and humane societies who have found abused animals. With its outdated technology, the sanctuary was not able to move forward on special projects or operate efficiently.

After learning about the technology upgrade CPT needed, a team of Cisco and IBM volunteers came in to help modernize its operations. CPT deployed a high-performance clustered-server solution based on IBM System x servers coupled with Cisco networking technology. The systems work together to provide enough hard drive storage for all of CPT’s databases with room to spare, while eliminating bottlenecks and supplying a huge boost in processing power. A Cisco Unified Communications system, including IP phones, softphones and voicemail provide volunteers with a business-class communications solution that will make it faster and easier for guests and business partners to speak with representatives from CPT. Cisco also redesigned a wired and wireless local area network within the administration building that connects staff and volunteers to all peripheral devices, high- performance clustered servers and high-speed Internet.

In the next phase of the information technology (IT) transformation a video surveillance solution will provide enhanced security at CPT’s 55-acre compound. The high-performance infrastructure will provide the backbone to run and store live videos from cameras situated across the property. Around-the-clock streaming video of the animals will allow volunteers to monitor their progress. Additionally; CPT donors and educational groups around the country will be able to watch the streaming video on the CPT Website. Video capability will also allow CPT to collaborate with other animal research facilities and veterinary hospitals around the world to improve the care of the animals.

“With more Americans trying unsuccessfully to keep wild animals like tigers as pets, sanctuaries like CPT end up providing the proper care and shelter the animals need,” said Pam Fulk, executive director, CPT. “With the considerable donation of servers and networking by IBM and Cisco, CPT has experienced a 100 percent boost in productivity. Our staff and volunteers can now focus on caring for the carnivores, while also dramatically boosting educational programs to help these amazing animals out in captivity and in the wild.”