Gorilla in Gabon. Paul Swen Photography
#1: You have seen it on the blog everyday, come on out to the zoo on September 10th and hear firsthand from a wildlife veterinarian who spends a good portion of his time treating injured Mountain Gorilla’s in Rwanda . The Houston Zoo is hosting Dr. Michael Cranfield, Executive Director of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project as part of our Call of the Wild Lecture Series September 10th, 20009. Please go to http://www.houstonzoo.org/lectureseries/
#2: Back in May, we hosted a very special art gallery event called Images of Africa with local Houston photographer Paul Swen. Here is an opportunity to not only support wildlife conservation, but get a very special signed and limited edition photograph of some of the most unique views of Africa you will ever see. To view the photographs available for sale ttp://www.houstonzoo.org/imagesofafrica/.
Gorilla Orphan at Evengue Rescue Center, Gabon. Paul Swen Photography
#3: Recycle your unwanted electronic goods. That includes cell phones, laptops, pagers and other electronic devices. We mentioned last week Coltan ore also called Columbite-tantalite. This is a dull metallic ore found in major quantities in the eastern areas of the African Congo. It is used in cell phones, laptops, pagers and other electronic devices. When refined, coltan becomes metallic tantalum, a heat resistant powder that can hold a high electrical charge. Some types of Coltan mining may occur illegally in protected lands all across the Congo which in turn put wildlife such as Elephants and Gorillas of the Congo region at risk. Eighty percent of the world’s known coltan supply is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There, it is mined by hand by groups of men digging basins in streams, scraping away dirt to get to the muddy coltan underneath. Recycling unused cell phones can help protect the wildlife, since reuse of the phones results in the need for fewer new ones, which reduces the need for coltan mining. The Houston Zoo accepts cell phones for recycling by mail or at our gift shop http://www.houstonzoo.org/Recycling/
#4 Want to step out on a limb? Our travel partner Terra Incognita Ecotours leads trips to Rwanda to see Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park a number of times a year. Actually, we are there right now (yes – I pre-scehduled this blog). Experiencing nature inspires us to protect it so take a look at our travel program http://www.houstonzoo.org/safari or Terra Incognita at http://www.ecotours.com/dest_rwanda.html
Silverback-Gabon. Paul Swen Photography
#5) Library, Bookstore, DVD, Online??? Take a few minutes and watch or read: Mountain Gorillas: Biology, Conservation and Coexistence, Gorillas in the Mist, Goodnight, Gorilla or even Gorilla Gorilla, In the Kingdom of Gorillas: Fragile Species in a Dangerous Land, Saving a Species: Gorilla on the Brink (DVD), No One Loved Gorillas More: Dian Fossey-Letters from the Mist, The Year of the Gorilla, Mountain Gorillas: Three Decades of Research at Karisoke. You get the point…
Tomorrow’s Blog: The Bushmeat Trade
I really think it is a good idea about recycling your old cell phone. Every time I went to the zoo I always wondered why they had the bins out. Now I know and will take my old cell phone.
Those are all excellent ways to help out and I will definitely be doing my part.
Has the Zoo hosted any ‘cell phone drives’, so to speak? It seems as though in this day and age in which we see hundreds lined up to get new iPhones (and then those same hundreds back for new ones months later), the used phones should be stockpiling up. I think that collecting old cell phones is an incredibly easy task for Zoo visitors, and I plan to bring as many as I can when I come and see the new baby giraffe!
PS: Perhaps an exchange of an old phone (or other acceptable electronic) for admittance into the Zoo for a selected amount of time would really get things going in that department – Twitter is an excellent way to get the word out, and I am glad to see that you guys are already using it!
Im so glad I know where to recycle all my company cell phones! I had no idea how old electronics can help wildlife. Im going to bring quite a few down there. Also I cant wait to see when the Houston Zoo will have a gorilla again one day. They completely amaze me.
Since reading the blos about recycling your old electronics, I have seen mailers at PetSmart for such a purpose. I am happy to see pet friendly places offering this service!
Many people may be unaware of this growing problem, and the more the info gets out to the masses, the better!
Thank you for the elctronic reculcing center info. Have all these old items and hae no idea what to do with them. Now I do. And to know I am helping animals in the Conga at the same time, is a win win. Bring lots of pics back to share
I love the gorillas!
I think cell phone companies should encourage discounts for new phones for those who return their old cell phones. If more companies encourage recycling and/or make recycling more accessible then it would keep less electronic waste from being dumped in the landfills. Honestly, I believe the lure of discounts or freebies is the best way to reach all demographics and encourage recycling. Thanks for participating in cell phone recycling.
I have got to have the giraffe and lion pictures! Stunning!
I love the idea of free zoo admission when you bring in an old cell phone!even if it is, say, after 3pm or something. GREAT idea!
I hope to go to Africa some day and think of more ways to keep the natural habitat just that-natural. Thank you for the awareness and activism.
Being a teacher in a low income school district sometimes allows those of us in those positions to become creative when there is a need. We also relish the opportunity to show our children that there are others in the world in need as well, and not just for monetary support. I plan to host a personal campaign myslef this year in clollecting cell phones from my students and their parents to further this cause. Thank you for bring this to my attention and I sinceely hope all our efforts together make a change!
“Experiencing nature inspires us to protect it…” No truer words have been said.
I agree that everyone should recycle old cell phones as it helps our environment and I definitely do my part. I also look forward to being at the zoo in September to hear Dr. Cranfield’s lecture. Thanks for the blog. It is so informative.
i had NO idea the Houston Zoo recycled cell phones. HOW COOL!. i learn something new every day!
Thank you for sharing so many easy ways that we can help. I’m off to look at Paul Swen’s photographs now!
I really like the idea of recycling old cell phones. I am sure everyone has at least one old phone lying around, I know I have at least a couple. I would like to have a cell phone drive at work to help do my part and donate all of the phones gathered to the zoo! Any tips?? This is such a great way to take something that would otherwise go in the trash and do something meaningful.
Thanks for the wonderful ideas for helping! So many people go through cell phones like they’re paper plates – disposable and not good for more than one use! My cell phone is 8 years old. I do have the one cell phone I had before this one that my daughter used to play with when she was little. I’ll be sure to bring it to the zoo the next time we come!