Did you know just one simple action could help save a species?

Lessen the impact on prime gorilla habitats by recycling your old cell phone. Yes, the cell phone that is currently in your junk drawer collecting dust. It’s an easy way to make a big difference!

For a second year, the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) is partnering with other accredited zoos within the Association of Zoos & Aquariums to launch a cell phone recycling program from February 1 through April 30. In addition to mobile phones, we also accept iPads, iPods, cameras, and chargers.

A rare and valuable mineral, coltan, is used in the creation of all cell phones and small electronics, and the mining of it is directly impacting the survival of gorillas.

Eighty percent of the world’s supply of coltan is found in Central Africa, which is prime gorilla habitat. Imagine having the cell phone equivalent of gold in your backyard. There would be a lot of people showing up at your house with shovels in their hands and dollar signs in their eyes. That’s the situation for coltan and the gorillas.

Coltan is luring miners into the forests, which causes trouble for these animals. Their habitat is becoming logged and dug up so the miners can reach the coltan, and people are bringing in diseases, which the gorillas can easily contract. People are also illegally hunting gorillas – either to eat, sell or trade for more supplies. The more cell phones people buy, the more coltan needs to be mined, which leads to more gorillas becoming homeless. With their numbers dwindling in the wild as it is, let’s work together to save them.

Last year, the collective goal of the program was to gather 10,000 mobile phones and engage 10,000 children and community members to help save gorillas. Together, the participating organizations exceeded this goal, collecting more than 12,000 phones and engaging nearly 260,000 people. The DZS alone collected 490 phones, ranking seventh among the 21 participating zoos and aquariums.

This year, we would like to collect even more phones and reach even more people, and you can help us. Fewer than 20 percent of old cell phones are recycled. Consider bringing your old phones and electronics to the Detroit Zoo during the next three months. Donation bins will be set up at the Main Entrance; you can also deliver them to the guest relations associates manning the ticket booths. We’re also looking for local schools to join us in this venture and make a direct impact on saving the species. If your school or classroom is interested in helping us protect gorillas, you can email Carla Van Kampen, curator of education, at cvankampen@dzs.org and Aaron Jesue, zookeeper, at ajesue@dzs.org. Also, mark your calendar for our World Gorilla Day celebration at the Detroit Zoo, which will be held on Thursday, September 24.

– Aaron Jesue is a zookeeper for the Detroit Zoological Society.