FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                       Contact:  Michele Peters
651-209-9259
mpeters@isis.org

The Boeing Company awards US $100,000 to ISIS to aid in developing a global animal information system

Eagan, Minnesota (10 January, 2005) — The Boeing Company has given US $50,000 to the International Species Information System (ISIS) for development of its Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS), a software tool that will benefit the global zoological community and international conservation efforts. Boeing has also promised an additional US $50,000 in matching funds for 2006, for a total gift of US $100,000.

“We are very grateful to Boeing for their support of the ZIMS Project,” said ISIS Executive Director Nate Flesness. “Through partnerships with corporate leaders across the world, we can make a marked impact on the preservation of animal species whose existence has been threatened, and at the same time support the very best possible animal management in popular zoos and aquariums worldwide.”

ZIMS, a Web-based international database, is being developed with the cooperation of 500 experts from the worldwide zoological community. When complete, this new ISIS software will contain accurate, comprehensive information on 2 million animals and will improve animal care worldwide.

This project is important because zoos and aquariums represent important, self-sustaining communities for the preservation and conservation of many wildlife species as their natural habits disappear or become untenable. As only four percent of the world’s land surface is protected, well-managed zoo populations now served as critical last-resort conservation insurance for some species. For other animals, knowledge gained in zoological settings helps conserve wild populations, or zoo animals may be used to restock wild populations that have become tragically extinct.

This funding from Boeing will help ISIS meet its capital funding goal of US $10 million for the first phase of this project. In addition to this funding, ISIS has secured a US $300,000 grant from the US National Science Foundation, US $500,000 through a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a US $500,000 appropriation from the US Congress and US $4.1 million from 134 members of the worldwide zoological community to build ZIMS.

About ISIS
Founded in 1974, ISIS is an organization of more than 650 institutions in more than 70 countries that have come together for the preservation of animal species. ISIS has played a key role in establishing standards and sharing globally-pooled information among the zoological community. ISIS is now building ZIMS with the support of the world zoo and aquarium community. The project is projected for completion mid-2006.

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