Answering the call of the wild

Tuesday, March 21, 2006
By Kate Westrich
Sometimes it seems like a newer, better mobile phone hits the market every day. Even if you only update your phone annually or semiannually, there is still the question of what to do with old cell phones. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden answers this call.

Some studies have estimated that in the United States, there are more than 700 million cell phones meeting their demise in landfills, the backs of drawers and the bottoms of boxes. Hard to fathom, but by recycling these millions of cell phones, can actually save gorillas. The connection isn't obvious at first, but many species of great apes live in the same area of central African where coltan, a product used in the manufacturing of cell phones, is mined. As the metallic ore is mined, gorillas are finding their habitat destroyed and some of them are even being hunted as food for miners.

In a partnership designed to help the great apes, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is working with Eco-Cell to sponsor Ape Awareness Days on APE-ril 1 and 2, 2006. "This weekend is out chance to say ‘Here are these incredible animals and they need our help,'" said Dave Jenike, vice president of education and facilities for the Zoo.

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is involved in many conservation efforts. "Whenever it comes to conservation, we are looking for concrete actions for our visitors to take to contribute," said Jenike. "[This partnership with] Eco-Cell is a perfect example of how, in the United States, we can help."

Ape Awareness Days is the first event of the new Act Wild! campaign at the Cincinnati Zoo, where people can learn about animals in the wild. Ron Evans is the primate center team leader for the Zoo. "We lose about 1,000 gorillas a year," he said. "With this event we can tell people the bad news but also give them a way to help."

Evans said in addition to education targeted at older kids and adults there will also be plenty of activities for younger kids during Ape Awareness Days, like origami and creating gorilla masks.

How You Can Help!

While Ape Awareness Days is a two-day event, Evans and Jenike stressed that the partnership with the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is working with Eco-Cell is ongoing. People can continue to bring cell phones to the Zoo, where they can be recycled or disposed of.
"If you have an old cell phone, they shouldn't be sent to the landfills," said Jenike. "They should be disposed of appropriately."

For every operable cell phone that is donated at the Zoo, Eco-Cell will donate $15 back to the Zoo. "Those funds we get go back to conservation projects," Jenike said. "Our staff and all of us at the Zoo are passionate about conservation."

Cell phone can be dropped of at the front gates of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden or in the container at Gorilla World. For more information call (513) 281-4700 or visit www.cincyzoo.org.