Summit Country Day Students Partners With the Cincinnati Zoo to Help Gorillas

By Tiffany Barnes

Cincinnati, OH - Elementary students at Summit Country Day have partnered with the Cincinnati Zoo and the Eco-Cell program to help save the Western lowland gorillas. Students have designed and created their own eco-cell collection containers and will be making posters to promote the program throughout their school and in companies around the community.

Representatives from the school and Zoo Director, Thane Maynard, will be on site thanking the students for their participation and encouraging them as they create their promotional posters.

Coltan (columbite-tantalite) is an ore that is the source of the element tantalum which is an essential coating for components of cell phones. This ore is often found in the Congo in the middle of endangered gorilla and elephant habitats. These animals are being killed by rebel bands mining this ore.

The U.N. has reported that in the past five years, the lowland gorilla population in the Congo has declined 90%. Reducing the demand for Coltan will help save these animals and their habitat.

To view Cincinnati Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-119-Cincinnati_Zoo_and_Botanical_Gardens