Mission Statement
Indianapolis Zoo
1200 W. Washington St. P.O. Box 22309 Indianapolis, IN 46222.0309
The Indianapolis
Zoo empowers
people and
communities, both
locally and globally,
to advance animal
conservation.
317.630.2001 ph
317.630.5153 fx
NEWS RELEASE
March 13, 2014
Contact: Carla Knapp
Public Relations Specialist
317-630-3257
[email protected]
indianapoliszoo.com
A Beacon of Hope Lights the Indianapolis Sky,
Signifying a Brighter Future for Orangutans in the Wild
Great ape residents move into International Orangutan Center
INDIANAPOLIS – After eight years of careful planning, design and construction, the Indianapolis
Zoo reached a major milestone in the creation of the International Orangutan Center when the
orangutans recently moved into their new home.
To signify the orangutans’ homecoming, the Nina Mason Pulliam Beacon of Hope was lighted for
the first time Thursday evening, illuminating the night sky just west of downtown Indianapolis in a
brilliant shade of orange to represent the orangutans’ distinctive coloring.
The Beacon of Hope was named through a $1.5 million grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam
Charitable Trust. Soaring 150 feet above the International Orangutan Center, the Beacon of Hope
is a symbol reminding everyone who comes to Indianapolis that hope still exists for the survival of
this magnificent species and that hope originates here. In the coming weeks, the orangutans will
learn how to operate the lighting control system to eventually begin lighting the Beacon
themselves each night.
“The legacy of Nina Mason Pulliam centers on her humanitarian values as well as her love of all
creatures and the natural environment surrounding us all. The Beacon of Hope is a perfect
extension of that legacy,” said Kent E. Agness, Trustee of the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
“The Beacon and the International Orangutan Center it stands over will help promote
conservation and foster connections between humans and animals, which are ideals Nina
encouraged throughout her lifetime.”
“This is one of those rare and exciting moments in which we can make a real difference that will
change the future. Rather than continue on a course that will lead to the extinction of orangutans
during the lives of today’s children, we can change that outcome,” said Indianapolis Zoo President
and CEO Mike Crowther. “Each time the Beacon of Hope is lighted, it’s accompanied by an
opportunity to enlighten those who see it about our role in the conservation of a species so smart,
so charismatic and so self-aware. It’s up to us to bear that torch, to be the global voice for
orangutans, and to ensure our children and their children will share a world enriched by their
presence.”
While construction continues in other areas of the International Orangutan Center, staff began
moving the Zoo’s eight orangutans into the new facility in late February. The Zoo broke ground on
the $26 million project on Sept. 4, 2012; and within a matter of weeks, orangutans will be
swinging 75 feet overhead and interacting with guests like never before when the International
Orangutan Center opens to the public on May 24.
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A Beacon of Hope
Lights the Indianapolis
Sky
The Center melds form and function to offer an unparalleled experience for both guests and
orangutans, and the Beacon of Hope is its centerpiece. Featuring energy-efficient LED lights that
can change colors and effects, the Beacon of Hope will be illuminated each night at dusk. Through
partnerships with the City of Indianapolis’ Office of Sustainability and the Amos Butler Audubon
Society’s Lights Out Indy initiative, and in the interest of energy conservation, the lights will turn
off each night at midnight.
The stunning 70-foot spire was set in place on July 19, 2013, and sits above the R. B. Annis Atrium,
which is the exhibit’s largest interior space. The towering structure was developed by Jonathan
Hess, president of Indianapolis-based Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects, and the lighting
concept was designed by lighting consultant Fisher Marantz Stone.
With a silhouette unlike anything else on Indianapolis’ cityscape, the lighted Beacon of Hope will
be visible for miles and is sure to become an iconic image for the city.
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About the Indianapolis Zoo
Located in White River State Park downtown, the Indianapolis Zoo is accredited by the Association
of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Association of Museums as a zoo, aquarium and
botanical garden. The Indianapolis Zoo empowers people and communities, both locally and
globally, to advance animal conservation.