Perth Zoo’s two Asian elephants could up-size to a new home in the rural outskirts of Adelaide by the end of next year, and would be joined by new a roommate from New Zealand in the process.
Zoos SA launched a fundraising campaign on Thursday to build a new 15-hectare elephant habitat at Monarto Safari Park in South Australia, where elephants Permai and Putra Mas would become the first members of a new open-range herd, the third of its kind in the state.
Permai and Putra Mas will move to a bigger and better enclosure with 15 hectares of space.Credit: Perth Zoo
It was expected Auckland Zoo’s Asian elephant Burma would also make the move.
Perth Zoo acting executive director Claire Wright said it was a mammoth day in history for Asian elephants in Australia.
“While the staff at Perth Zoo provide exemplary love and care, we have always been open that the pair need to live in herd which requires more space than our inner-city site can provide,” she said.
“A social structure is absolutely critical for Permai’s wellbeing, who has been without a mate since the passing of Tricia.
“We look forward to seeing her potentially find a new friendship in Auckland Zoo’s Burma.”
Wright said Monarto Safari Park was a fellow Zoo and Aquarium Association welfare-accredited zoo, and would make a wonderful home for Perth’s beloved elephants.
Last year, Tricia, the oldest Asian elephant to be cared for by a zoo in Australia and one of the oldest elephants in the world, passed away at the age of 65.
Perth Zoo first announced its plan to rehome the elephants in 2018, but wanted to wait until Tricia passed to ensure the remaining pair would have a home that could accommodate a suitable social herd structure.
Asian elephants in the wild are endangered, with fewer than 52,000 remaining.
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