An initiative to help secure gorilla habitats in Africa has come to north-central Florida.

Gorilla SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) is banding together with the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, Alachua County Public Works, Life Unplastic, and The Repurpose Project to recycle cellphones and different electronics.

The Gorilla Species Survival Plan for Gorillas on the Line- – Answer the Call is additionally a part of the initiative.

This is a push to help secure habitats for gorillas and other wildlife in central Africa.

The mineral Coltan is utilized in the electronics and it is mined in the zones gorillas live.

The electronics will be separated into their elements and minerals so they can be redistributed to organizations that make them.

“Hold on to your cellphone for another year or two that’ll help decrease the number of resources that need to be mined,” said Jade Salamone, the Conservation Education Curator. “But when we recycle those things we don’t want anymore instead of throwing them away, we can reuse those products so that we can help protect habitats for animals.”

The program is asking the following things to be reused: cellphones, phone chargers, iPods, iPads, tablets, and mp3 players.

“We can as individuals make a difference to help save species in the wild but we can also make a difference by asking the companies we’re purchasing the things from to use recyclable material and things like that to make a difference,” Salamone said.

Life Unplastic will give a 10% discount for purchasers who recycle electronics during their buy.

The electronic recycling activity closes on April 30.