Brooke Fortune
June 22, 2023

If you’ve been following this article for a while, you’ve almost certainly heard us mention it. ecocell, an organization that helps species affected by the mining of coltan (an essential ore for mobile phones) by recycling used electronics. Usually when we talk about ecocell it goes hand in hand with gorilla conservation, or promoting gorillas on the line. gorillas are safe (saving animals from extinction) action team. But did you know that coltan mining also affects wild chinchillas?

The Congo Basin (home to the endangered gorilla) is one of the richest regions of coltan in the world, but many of the ores and minerals needed to make mobile phones are also mined in Latin America. This includes the Chilean Highlands, the natural habitat of many wild chinchillas. Those of you who have followed our latest Conservation Blog will know the amazing work of the Chinchilla Conservation Project, one of his Conservation Quarter Partners from 2023 to 2024. But did you know that he can protect wild chinchilla populations with just one simple action?

At least some of you have old cell phones, iPods, etc. hidden somewhere in your junk drawer. Recycling electronics reduces the need to mine new minerals in wildlife habitats such as the Chilean highlands because the minerals contained in the electronics can be reused. Finding old electronics and giving them new life couldn’t be easier. You can use ECO-CELL’s service to ship your goods directly to ECO-CELL. free shipping labels, or leave your goods here at the zoo. You can drop your electronic device in for recycling with a member of the admissions team, or use the collection bin at the Ford Willie B. Gorilla Conservation Center.

As always, thank you for participating in our conservation efforts. Together we can build a better future for species large and small.