EAGAN, Minnesota, August 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading zoos and aquariums - from Copenhagen to Calgary - announce their participation in a global conservation movement. In an unprecedented effort, these leading institutions are moving their animal management knowledgebase online through the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) - and working with organizations around the world to unite the global wildlife conservation community into one, shared network.

ISIS - a consortium of more than 800 zoos, aquariums and related conservation organizations worldwide - is forging a path in collaborating and sharing information on more than 2.6 million animals - many endangered or threatened species.

The conversation about how to connect the global wildlife conservation movement through technology was started more than 10 years ago, said ISIS Board Chair and CEO, Zoos South Australia Chris West. It was apparent to the zoological community that ISIS needed to be the leader in this effort, and many of our leading institutions answered that charge.

ISIS chose the following early adopters because they are leaders in their industry.

Australia: Adelaide/Monarto Zoos

Canada: Calgary Zoo, Garden Prehistoric Park

Denmark: Copenhagen and Givskud Zoos

Germany: Zoologischer Garten Leipzig

New Zealand: Auckland Zoological Park

United Kingdom: Bristol, Clifton, West of England Zoological Society

United States: Disney's Animal Kingdom/The Seas; Monterey Bay Aquarium; Riverbanks Zoo; Seattle Aquarium; Sedgwick County Zoo; Smithsonian National Zoological Park; South Carolina Aquarium; The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens; Wildlife Conservation Society; Woodland Park Zoological Gardens; Zoological Society of San Diego

These leading institutions answered the call and dedicated their staff and resources to the ZIMS project because need is clear, said ISIS CEO Roger Stonecipher. This network will bring the zoological community together in ways not yet imagined. We are on the precipice of something great here - connecting those who protect and care for animals in the largest information-based social network so far created for a specific purpose.

Zoos and aquariums have become leaders in the effort to breed endangered animals, and to educate an estimated 600 million visitors each year about the magnificent and fragile interrelationships between humans, non-humans and environments. Through zoos and aquariums, some species have already been rescued from extinction.

Since 1974, ISIS has created various software packages for zoological record-keeping. ISIS software is recognized as the world-standard by international regulatory bodies like CITES. ZIMS is the next evolution. http://www.isis.org.

SOURCE: ISIS

CONTACT: Michele Peters of ISIS, +1-651-209-9259, mpeters@isis.org