Gorillas are on the brink of extinction.
They’re calling on YOU to donate your phone today!
You can now help save Gorillas in Africa simply by donating your mobile phone! Coltan is a metallic ore that is mined both in and out of Africa and can be found within many electronic devices such as mobile phones.
The mining of coltan within the Congo River Basin is contributing to forest loss and unrest in the region, and is accelerating the loss of mountain gorillas at an alarmingly fast rate. Whilst efforts are being made to tackle this issue, the majority of the worlds known coltan reserves are found within Africa, and the mining of coltan within gorilla habitat continues.
It is very difficult to know which phones contain coltan mined from Africa, however every phone can help save gorilla’s when donated to They’re Calling on You.
By donating your phone through the They’re Calling on You mobile phone recycling program you are:
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Keeping its coltan and other valuable or toxic parts out of Australian landfill
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Helping Perth Zoo raise money to support primate conservation
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Lessening the demand for coltan mining by providing the coltan-coated capacitor in your old mobile phone a second life.
To support the They’re Calling on You mobile phone recycling program you can:
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Visit Perth Zoo to collect a postage paid recycling satchel, and post your mobile phone to the Aussie Recycling Program
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Download and print a copy of the Mobile Phone Reply Paid label (pdf) and post your phone today!
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Donate a corporate fleet of mobile phones by calling 9474 0359 or email carol.morfitt@perthzoo.wa.gov.au.
Next time your mobile phone rings, let that be a reminder that ‘they’re calling on you’!
Did you know?
Of the four subspecies of gorilla, three are listed as critically endangered. These are the Mountain Gorillas, the Cross River Gorilla and the Eastern Lowland Gorilla. Only 700 Mountain Gorillas remain in the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda. Cross River Gorillas in Cameroon and Nigeria number only 300. The Eastern Lowland Gorillas from the DRC have plummeted dramatically in number over the last 10 years with an estimated 5,000 remaining of an original population of 17,000.
Although not listed as critically endangered, the Western Lowland Gorilla, found in Angola, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, DRC, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo, is under threat from habitat destruction and poaching.
Conservation efforts are underway across the globe in an attempt to combat these shocking declines in gorilla numbers and reduce the threats to their habitats from human activities. In the countries where gorillas are found, conservation projects are involving local communities to develop their ecotourism, sustainable timber harvesting and improved agricultural practices. They also support reforestation campaigns, anti-poaching efforts and community development projects such as schools, clean water supplies and health care.
