Helping Protect Wildlife Through Smarter Learning Systems
For over a century, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), based at the Bronx Zoo in New York, has worked tirelessly to protect some of the planet’s most extraordinary ecosystems. Since 1895, WCS has managed over 500 conservation projects across nearly 60 countries, tackling complex global challenges with expertise and dedication. Yet, in recent years, an internal obstacle emerged: the need to streamline their online learning and training systems to keep pace with their mission.
At the forefront of their efforts is the Wildlife Crime Leadership Initiative (WCLI), a program designed to combat wildlife trafficking by fostering global partnerships and innovative solutions. Through capacity building, knowledge sharing, and international cooperation, WCLI equips stakeholders—like law enforcement and customs officials—with the tools to tackle wildlife crime. By addressing root causes such as poverty and corruption and promoting sustainable livelihoods, WCLI not only fights trafficking but also protects endangered species and preserves biodiversity.
In this case study, we’ll explore how WCS and WCLI are leveraging technology with the help of Pukunui to drive impactful conservation efforts worldwide.
Too Many Moving Parts, Too Little Time
WCS Malaysia reached out to Pukunui because they needed a flexible, stable, and cost-effective way to deliver training and resources to their global network. With a wide range of educators, field staff, and partners accessing content asynchronously, their learning platform needed to run smoothly, scale easily, and support an evolving audience. Unfortunately, their existing system lacked the agility, reliability, and support they needed — leading to wasted time, missed training opportunities, and administrative headaches.
Think of it like tracking wild animals without a GPS. Possible? Yes. Efficient? Not even close.
Making the Move to Moodle™-Based Hosting
In 2023, WCS reached out to Pukunui with a clear mission: simplify their learning landscape. We began by setting them up on a hosting plan, with room to grow. There’s no point scaling in a panic later, so we put proactive monitoring in place from day one and kept a close eye on performance trends.
Behind the scenes, we handled a full Moodle™ migration from their previous setup — including upgrades, plugin compatibility checks, and data transfer. We included free branding to match the WCS visual identity, aligning the new platform with their global reputation.
Training that Actually Trains
Tech can only go so far without humans behind it, so we included some admin training up front, and structured ongoing annual sessions to keep their team sharp. These sessions — delivered online — give WCS staff what they need to own the platform, without relying on support for every button click.
On top of that, we implemented tight integration with communication platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Webex — streamlining meetings, webinars, and grading workflows directly within the Moodle™ system. No more copying links back and forth or manually syncing grades. It’s all connected in one place.
Why Moodle™ Software Is a Natural Fit for NGOs
Let’s be honest — when you’re working toward something as critical as global biodiversity, blowing your budget on proprietary licenses and inflexible systems isn’t ideal. That’s where the Moodle™ project shines. Open-source, highly customizable, and with a global community behind it, it’s perfectly suited for not-for-profit organisations working in complex environments.
WCS can now publish unlimited courses and user accounts — valuable for sharing knowledge across their various departments in education, research, and animal care. They also benefit from nightly backups, plugin flexibility, and ongoing upgrade support — all while keeping administrative overhead low.
What It All Added Up To
Since implementation, WCS has seen improved efficiency in training delivery, fewer internal support requests, and a smoother learning curve for new users. Importantly, the system can now adapt to their needs without major downtime or risk — whether that means growing user numbers or integrating new tools.
Our support model gave their internal administrator everything they needed without hand-holding. We acted on queries quickly, one at a time, giving proper attention rather than quick fixes. And because the hosting plan includes free plugin installation and upgrades on request, they’re never stuck on outdated software or faced with expensive technical barriers.
Huge credit goes to the WCS team — collaborative, thoughtful, and passionate about building the kind of learning systems that can scale with their impact. Honestly, working with clients who save rhinos and orangutans really puts our own “urgent deadlines” into perspective.
The Road Ahead
With their Moodle™ platform now hosted, branded, integrated, and trained up, the WCS team is poised to expand its e-learning reach. Whether that means more field programs, broader educational resources, or new digital campaigns, they’re ready to build on a solid foundation.
We’ve already renewed their hosting well into next year, giving them stability plus peace of mind. If their mission expands — and we hope it does — we’ll be ready to scale alongside them.
Looking to Build a Smarter Learning Environment?
If your organisation is juggling legacy systems, fragmented workflows, and training that doesn’t quite get the job done — we can help. Whether you’re a non-profit like WCS or a business with a learning challenge, Pukunui builds LMS experiences rooted in support, flexibility, and real results.
Get in touch with us today to discuss what a Moodle™-based platform could mean for your team, and let’s make learning feel less like a duty and more like momentum.
