INDIANAPOLIS
Last August, The Scientech Club heard from Sarah Edwards about how the Indianapolis Zoo built a world-class home for chimpanzees. Now we have the chance to visit the facility and the residents. The staff of the chimpanzee center will give us a behind-the-scenes look at life for these fellow primates.
Today’s Presentation
Program: Lunch and Tour of the Penny & Jock Fortune International Chimpanzee Center at the Indianapolis Zoo
Speakers: Ed Sandifer and multiple Zoo staff
Attendance: ~55 members and guests
Scribe: Rick Whitener
Editor: Bill Elliott
Scientech Club Tour – Penny Jock Fortune International Chimpanzee Center at the
Indianapolis Zoo - June 2, 2025
Around 55 Scientech Club members and their guests first met for lunch at the Hulman Riverhouse in White River Gardens. We were then met by our host, Ed Sandifer, who is the Zoo’s Planned and Major Gift Officer. He and his colleagues divided us into three groups to tour the three main components of the chimpanzee complex:
The Community Hub
The Engagement Center
The Culture Center
At each stop, staff who work with the chimpanzees each day explained what happens in that area. They answered questions about chimpanzee behavior, intelligence, and social structure. They told us about the precautions that are taken to prevent human disease from infecting chimpanzees and chimpanzee diseases from infecting the humans they see each day. Here are a few pictures of us on tour.
The Scientech Club provides a forum for weekly presentations and discussions in science, technology, and other topics. The Club meets most Mondays at the Northside Events Center and Social Club (2100 E. 71st Street, Indianapolis, IN 46220.
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