ASHEBORO — Join the North Carolina Zoo as we celebrate World Gorilla Day (held annually on Sept. 24) on Saturday, Sept. 25 and help save gorillas in the wild. The Zoo is partnering with institutions across the globe as part of Gorillas on the Line…Answer the Call, a cell phone recycling initiative.
Bring in an old cell phone, tablet, iPod, MP3 player, or e-reader to the Zoo’s gorilla habitat in Africa on Saturday, Sept. 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for recycling and receive a free Gorillas on the Line t-shirt, while supplies last.
The Zoo’s gorilla keepers will also be on hand to answer any of your burning questions about gorillas.
Gorillas on the Line is a global initiative created by the Gorilla Species Survival Plan through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
A critical component of cell phones and other small electronics is a substance called coltan. One of the few places in the world where the metallic ore is found is in the forests of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo— right in the middle of gorilla habitats. Because of mining for coltan, natural habitats are destroyed, and gorillas are being displaced or killed by poachers.
The Zoo is actively involved in helping save gorillas in the wild. For more than a decade, the Zoo has been working with the Wildlife Conservation Society on implementing a range of cutting-edge technologies and approaches to conserve these endangered animals.
One method is to train rangers on the frontlines in Africa using SMART technology on rugged, hand-held devices to help track illegal poaching activities and the movements of the gorillas.
This system has documented reductions in threats like snaring and hunting in many areas where the gorillas live.
To learn more about the Zoo’s efforts on international conservation, please visit www.nczoo.org/conservation/international.
The Zoo is home to a troop of seven western lowland gorillas: silverback Mosuba, females Jamani and Olympia, blackback Hadari, and adolescent males Apollo, Bomassa and Dembe.
