International Chimpanzee Complex
presented by Central Indiana Honda Dealers
Creating a home for up to 30 chimpanzees, this innovative exhibit recreates important aspects of chimpanzees’ natural habitat.
The Penny & Jock Fortune International Chimpanzee Complex presented by Central Indiana Honda Dealers was designed to promote the natural behaviors of chimpanzees by giving these great apes the freedom to decide where to go, what to do and who they want to do it with. Their home does not look like a forest or savanna, but it functions in a naturalistic way. It provides the kind of variety and freedom that allows these chimpanzees to truly be…chimpanzees.
A Corridor to Choice and Connection
The Chimpanzee Trail is an entirely unique elevated structure that gives the chimpanzees the ability to make decisions about where they go, what they do and with whom they interact. The vast majority of the trail is visible to visitors, with some sections of the trail stretching directly overhead public walkways, offering one-of-a-kind chimpanzee viewing opportunities.
Create Personal Connections with Chimpanzees
The Community Hub provides the chimpanzees with elevated spaces that allow a view of downtown Indianapolis and White River State Park. This is where guests may have their first glimpses of chimpanzees and discover these great apes in an environment that respects their natural needs, social structures and behaviors.
Understand Chimpanzee Cognition—How They Think and Learn
At the Harlan/Shriver Families Cognition Center, chimpanzees can choose to engage in cognitive tasks through computerized touch panel stations designed by scientists to study how they think and perceive the world. Visitors to the Cognition Center can observe this process and are given opportunities to complete the same cognitive tasks as the chimpanzees, thereby forging intellectual connections between humans and apes.
Explore Chimpanzee Group Dynamics
The Chen Family Cognition Station is an outdoor space connected to the Harlan/Shriver Families Cognition Center. This yard gives chimpanzees further access to the Community Hub and the Deborah J. Simon Culture Center via the Chimpanzee Trail. Visitors may observe chimpanzee group behavior in this centrally located meeting point.
Discover the Rich Cultures of Chimpanzees
The Deborah J. Simon Culture Center provides opportunities to view chimpanzees as they gather in small groups. Chimpanzees will enjoy the freedom to visit this space by their own choice, similar to the ways in which wild chimpanzees explore and move about their home ranges in African forests. Guests can learn about the diverse ways wild chimpanzees use tools and have distinct cultures in their communities across the continent. See for yourself what chimpanzees are really like and how you can help secure their future in the wild.