Today, Zoo New England celebrates the success of its annual Gorillas on the Line electronics recycling campaign, which encourages people to recycle old electronic devices to prevent gorilla habitat destruction. This campaign amassed 330 pounds of small electronics donations, collected through local partnerships and onsite boxes at Stone Zoo and Franklin Park Zoo.

Many zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), including Zoo New England’s Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo, participate in the annual Gorillas on the Line campaign. Collectively, Gorillas on the Line partner organizations recycled 18,582 electronic devices, including cell phones and tablets, and raised $12,468 to support wildlife conservation efforts. The funding raised from the program’s 6th year will support AZA’s Gorilla SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) initiative to support habitat protection and the growth of healthy gorilla populations in the wild.

“Gorillas on the Line is a mission-aligned initiative that exemplifies Zoo New England’s deep commitment to conservation, and we are thrilled to see the campaign’s resonance with our guests and partners,” said John Linehan, President and CEO of Zoo New England. “This program is an easily accessible way for everyone to actively help preserve gorillas and their habitats, while learning more about the impact that recycling has on global conservation efforts.”

Gorillas on the Line was created to raise awareness for habitat-destructive mining, which negatively impacts a wide range of species. Many cell phones contain coltan, a mineral often mined from the habitats of the western lowland gorilla, and demand for the material has increased rapidly alongside increased cell phone usage. The mining has destroyed the gorillas’ natural habitat, increased the threat of hunting gorillas and other animals, as well as displaced gorillas and many other species in the process.

Zoo New England collected electronics with the help of 30 recycling partners. This list of supportive organizations includes local businesses, libraries, churches, colleges, and schools. The Phineas Bates Elementary School in Roslindale integrated gorilla conservation into their curriculum, and students created their own PSAs on the threats that the species faces. Additionally, Zoo New England partnered with its first hospital network, Holy Family Hospital, which led collection drives at both of their hospital campuses in celebration of Earth Month. Campaign partners also include Needham High School and the Animal Rescue League.

Gorillas on the Line encourages consumers to extend the life of their cell phone by committing to using it a few years longer, and by recycling it when it’s finally time for an upgrade. When recycled, old cell phones, tablets and chargers can have a major impact on reducing the hunting and displacement of gorillas and other species that share habitats at risk of coltan mining. Western gorillas are critically endangered in the wild, found in the countries of Cameroon, Nigeria, Gabon, Central African Republic, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Republic of Congo, and are divided into Cross River and western lowland subspecies.

Zoo New England is an active participant in the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP), a cooperative, inter-zoo program coordinated nationally through the AZA. SSPs help to ensure the survival of selected species in zoos and aquariums, most of which are threatened or endangered, and enhance conservation of these species in the wild. Zoo New England has been a longtime supporter of gorilla conservation, devoting resources and expertise to the preservation of this iconic species. Through AZA SAFE, Zoo New England is supporting a project to protect Cross-River gorillas in the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary in Nigeria.

Learn more about the campaign and partnering with Zoo New England on a collection drive.