Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium offering free admission through electronic recycling program in April

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is offering free admission in April to anyone who brings a small electronic device to recycle. 

Through the zoo's partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Gorilla SAFE conservation program, anyone who brings devices like cell phones, MP3 players, tablets and digital cameras to recycle will get free daytime admission.

The zoo said recycling old electronics raises money to support gorilla conservation initiatives like the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and Wildlife Conservation Society. Cell phones and small electronics contain a mineral called coltan, which is mined in areas that include gorilla habitats in Africa. The zoo said recycling helps protect the gorillas' habitats. 

"This program is a win for everyone," says Ron Gruca, the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium's chief advancement officer. "It welcomes our neighbors to the Zoo in an accessible manner and it promotes our mission of conservation. It falls in April, which includes Earth Day, and it supports gorillas, including our resident newborn gorilla."

The new gorilla was born on Valentine's Day. Western lowland gorillas are listed as a critically endangered species due to their rapidly declining population, the zoo said.

The free entry program is only available through the end of April, though you can still bring any small electronic devices and cords to recycle at the zoo anytime. 

A list of accepted electronics and more details about how the initiatives works can be found on the zoo's website.