Celebrate one of our closest relatives and learn how you can help protect this endangered species. Meet a zookeeper who cares for our western lowland gorillas during a chat at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Throughout the day, stop by to watch artist Jen Bradley as she draws the gorillas. In 1994, she began routinely drawing at the gorilla habitat at Franklin Park Zoo. Since then, she has continued to record her experiences and observations through the process of drawing and video. She refers to this ongoing series and practice as The Ape Drawing Project.
Zoo New England is committed to the conservation of gorillas and is a longtime participant in the Western Lowland Gorilla Species Survival Plan, which is a cooperative, inter-zoo program coordinated nationally through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). SSPs help to ensure the survival of selected species in zoos and aquariums, most of which are threatened or endangered, and enhance conservation of these species in the wild. Additionally, Franklin Park Zoo has teamed up with Eco-Cell, a company that partners with zoos across the country, to recycle cell phones and refurbish them for reuse. This reduces the need for more coltan, leads to less mining and destruction of habitat, and helps the gorillas. Drop off your old cell phones at the Eco-Cell box inside the Tropical Forest.
Zoo New England is also proud to partner with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) on a project to conserve and protect Cross-River gorillas—a sub-species of the western lowland gorilla and the most threatened ape in Africa. Zoo New England’s support provides field equipment and supplies, and helps improve anti-poaching efforts within the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary. This partnership supports full-time employment to community rangers, who play a critical role in the sanctuary's wellbeing. Support of anti-poaching planning and monitoring by these rangers has shown to significantly improve law enforcement effectiveness and has gradually reduced hunting within the sanctuary.