Retevis Helps The Wild Animal Sanctuary Maintain Communication Across 40,000-Acre Area
About The Wild Animal Sanctuary
The Wild Animal Sanctuary, located in Colorado, USA, is a 40,000-acre wildlife sanctuary. Its mission is twofold: to rescue and provide lifelong care for captive-born large predators and other wildlife, and to promote wildlife conservation through public education. The sanctuary, which welcomes over 170,000 visitors annually, features extensive habitats, a large visitor center, educational facilities, and a 1.5-mile elevated walkway, all requiring coordinated efforts from its team of keepers, veterinarians, administrative, and grounds staff.
Challenges
The management team at The Wild Animal Sanctuary understands the importance of real-time communication in daily operations. The vast area and complex terrain of the sanctuary make traditional communication methods insufficient. Several important areas within the park, such as the visitor center, lion enclosure, and education center, are not only large in area but also have complex architectural structures, requiring specialized communication solutions to ensure the safety of staff, visitors, and animals.
Solution — Retevis Long Range Radio Network
After evaluating several options, The Wild Animal Sanctuary selected Retevis' long range radio solution. This solution consisted of three Retevis RT97L 25W repeaters, approximately 64 Retevis RB48 Plus handheld radios with microphones, and four 10-way charging stations, forming a comprehensive communication network.
Three Retevis RT97L 25W GMRS Repeaters placed at highest points (Visitor Center North, Lion Habitat Central, Education Center South). 25W power + specialized antennas penetrate dense forests and concrete structures, ensuring full 40,000-acre coverage.
Using RT97L's dual daisy chaining capability, three repeaters are connected in a daisy chain, signals relayed seamlessly from one end of the property to the other — unified communication across the entire park.
RT97L repeaters are IP66 rated, rain/dust resistant, with aluminum alloy housing for 24/7 continuous operation and effective heat dissipation.
~64 rugged units, MIL-STD-810G & IP67 certified. Built for mud, dust, and downpours. Remote speaker mics provide clear audio; group call & weather monitoring system support outdoor teams.
RB48 Plus radios deliver up to 350,000 sq ft of coverage. Group call functionality ensures emergency notifications reach all staff instantly.
Four 10-way charging stations deployed at caregiver station, admin office, visitor center — enabling streamlined equipment readiness and battery management.
- Strategic Repeater Placement: Northern (Visitor Center), Central (Lion Habitat), Southern (Education Center) — RT97L 25W repeaters provide signal penetration through forests and thick concrete walls.
- Daisy Chain Connectivity: Seamless relay from north to south ensures all teams — from keepers to grounds staff — stay connected without dead zones.
- RB48 Plus Rugged Durability: IP67 waterproof, dustproof, meets military standards. Perfect for muddy enclosures, dusty trails, and sudden Colorado storms.
- Advanced Features: Weather monitoring system alerts outdoor crews to changing conditions; group call allows emergency broadcasts across the entire RB48 fleet.
- Charging Infrastructure: Four multi-unit charging stations placed in high-traffic staff zones ensure radios always ready for 24/7 sanctuary operations.
The solution is built around a backbone of three strategically placed Retevis RT97L 25W GMRS Repeaters. Due to the large north-south span of the sanctuary, handheld radios alone could not cover all areas. The 25W power and specialized antennas effectively penetrate challenging terrain, ensuring comprehensive signal coverage across the entire sanctuary.
Results — Reliable Communication, Enhanced Safety
Retevis' long range radio solution effectively addressed The Wild Animal Sanctuary's complex communication needs. The new system ensured clear, reliable communication across the sanctuary, even in the most remote areas, and enhanced the team's response to both everyday tasks and emergency situations.
“Our new Retevis long range radio system is extremely reliable and has greatly improved staff efficiency and safety. Whether for daily animal care or emergency response, we now have seamless communication, ensuring a higher level of safety and effectiveness.”
Thanks to the robust infrastructure combining RT97L repeaters, RB48 Plus handhelds, and optimized charging stations, the sanctuary reports significantly improved coordination between keepers, veterinary teams, and visitor services. Emergency response times have decreased, and daily operations run more smoothly across 40,000 acres of diverse wildlife habitats.
