Renowned primatologist Dr Jane Goodall has visited Melbourne Zoo to launch a new mobile phone recycling campaign aimed at protecting primates in the wild.

Dr Goodall's lifelong study of the chimpanzees of Gombe has made her not only the world's most recognised expert on the species but also their most effective advocate.

Old mobile phones donated to the Zoo's ‘They're Calling on You' campaign will benefit primate conservation in two ways: financially, but even more directly by reducing demand for coltan, a mineral used in mobile phones.

Eighty percent of the world's coltan is found in Africa. Illegal mining in areas where chimpanzees, gorillas, and other primates live has had devastating consequences.

There is loss of habitat through deforestation, and primates and other wildlife in the areas are hunted so their meat can be sold in the growing bushmeat trade.

In one national park alone, more than 10,000 people are mining illegally, and the once-protected gorilla population has fallen by more than 50% in the past five years.

With about 15 million new mobile phones sold in Australia every year, there are a great many old or outmoded models available for recycling. These phones can all be put to good use if they're donated to the ‘They're Calling on You' campaign.

Postage-free mailing satchels are available at the Zoo, or a post-free mailing label can be printed from this website.

Dr Goodall tour of Australia and New Zealand has focused on sharing stories from her forthcoming book ‘Hope for Nature'. Her message is that it is not too late to take positive action, and the book will highlight stories of fauna and flora being saved from extinction by individuals and groups doing innovative research and managing effective conservation projects.

In each city along the way, Dr Goodall invited ‘local heroes' to speak alongside her, and two Zoos Victoria staff joined her to speak about their successful programs at her Melbourne public lecture.

Melbourne Zoo's Invertebrate Specialist Patrick Honan manages a breeding program for one of the world's most endangered insects, the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect.

Zoos Victoria's Coordinator of Conservation Partnerships Chris Banks told the audience about a major conservation project in PNG for the most endangered Tree Kangaroo species, which is strongly supported by Zoos Victoria.

Find out more about the Calling on You mobile phone recycling program.