News Item

Why Mobile Phones are Threatening the Last African Gorillas and How Recycling Your Old Phone Helps Save a Species

Monday, 11 May 2009

Internationally renowned primatologist, Dr. Jane Goodall, has called on Australians to recycle their mobile phones to help save Africa’s last remaining gorillas.

The plea, which coincides with the United Nation’s International Year of the Gorilla, is aimed at ending the illegal mining of coltan in gorilla habitats.  Coltan is a mineral that is found in mobile phones and dozens of everyday electronic devices.

“The sad fact is that the illegal mining of coltan is threatening the gorillas of Africa”, said Dr. Goodall.

“The high price of coltan on international markets has greatly increased the drive to mine this mineral by any means possible, and this is having catastrophic results for gorilla habitats in Central Africa.

“Not only is illegal mining harming the forests that are home to the world’s last gorillas  and many other animals, local populations are also being exploited with serious consequences including death.

“Many people do not realize that our use of mobile phones and other electronic technology is having these effects.

“That is why I am calling on all Australians to think carefully about the impact of this issue as part of the UN’s International Year of the Gorilla.

Australia has one of the highest mobile ownership rates in the world with 19.8 million mobile phones in a population of 21 million; nearly one for every man, woman and child.

The Jane Goodall Institute and the Australasian Regional Association of Zoos Parks and Aquaria (ARAZPA) have launched a national mobile recycling program to help save Africa’s Gorillas from illegal coltan mining.

“They’re Calling On You” recycling initiative allows individuals and organizations to donate their old mobile phones which will help protect gorillas in two critical ways:

1. It will help reduce demand for illegally mined coltan
2. It will help raise funds to employ, feed and clothe 300 park rangers to protect the eastern lowland gorilla in the Democratic Republic of Congo from the effects of illegal coltan mining

“Australians care deeply about the environment and the protection of animals and I ask for your help to protect one of the closest relatives to human kind.

“I also call on the Australian Government to act immediately on the importation and / or use of illegally mined coltan in any mobile phone or other electronic product sold in Australia.

“And I urge the mobile phone industry to investigate other alternatives to coltan and to inform consumers about the origin of coltan in their products.

“For the world to lose this precious species would be an untold tragedy”, said Dr. Goodall.

For more details on “They’re Calling On You” and the easy and free way to recycle your mobile phone click here.