Gorillas on the Line: DZS Wins Number One Spot in North America

By Lindsay Keener, Contributing Writer

There are two types of people in this world: those who get the next generation of a phone as soon as it’s released and those who hold onto their devices until the last second. The one thing they have in common? Their old phone is tucked into the back of their bedside table, never to be seen again.

The Detroit Zoo knows there are better uses for old cell phones and other small electronics. Each year, the Zoo partners with Gorilla SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) for its Gorillas on the Line initiative, a public awareness campaign designed to empower zoos to engage local audiences in action for gorilla conservation by recycling their old electronics.

The call to recycle old electronics was sparked by the need to protect gorillas from a tiny but mighty predator: coltan. A mineral compound used to power small electronics, coltan is mined in the Dominican Republic of Congo, where many gorillas live. While mining for coltan may mean more high-powered devices, it can also mean destroying gorilla habitats. Today, the program aims much of its focus at using recycled devices to raise money for conservation initiatives that directly protect wild gorillas and their habitats.

Aaron Jesue, primate zookeeper at the Detroit Zoo, leads the initiative. He encourages anyone with old, small electronic devices to bring them in for recycling and help make a difference.

“We’d love for cell phones to be used until they’re unusable so that there’s less production, but in this day and age, it’s almost impossible to see that,” Jesue says. “When you do get to the end of the road with your device, and you don’t know what to do with it, bring it to the Detroit Zoo, and we’ll gladly accept them.”

Now in its sixth year, Jesue says the program has taken on a life of its own. Thanks to the dedication of passionate community partners and supporters, the Detroit Zoo came out in the top spot for devices recycled this year — in all North America — with more than 2,000 devices, making it the 2024 Silverback Award winner for the highest number of devices collected.

This is no ordinary accomplishment. According to ECO-CELL, there are roughly 385.6 million phones, or six old cell phones per household, across the United States. More than 90 percent of them aren’t getting recycled.

So, how has the Zoo achieved this level of success? The Detroit community and beyond see the program as a no-brainer.

“I’ve had so many people come to me and say, ‘I’ve had all these phones over the years and never knew what to do with them. Coming here and recycling them just makes sense,’” Jesue says.

Gorillas on the Line supporters have found new and creative ways of collecting hundreds of devices to be recycled, forming partnerships with organizations like the Detroit Tigers, hospitals and scrapyards. The dedicated effort from the community is a beacon of hope for gorilla conservation efforts.

“Being able to help organizations on a national level that are doing this work, we’ve seen our contributions show up in really cool ways,” Jesue says. “We’ve seen more rangers out in the field, extra support being given to scientists and researchers, and we hope to see the number of all gorilla species populations grow with continued support."