I’ve been working with the elephants at Perth Zoo for about 13 years now and I’ve seen first-hand how incredibly unique and special they are.
Each of the keepers here have a different relationship with our three Asian Elephants, but I speak on behalf of the team when I say, elephants have a very special way of getting right to your heart.
Tricia, our elderly Zoo Matriarch loves having contact and interaction with us, but it doesn’t always happen with everyone, so feel very special when she vocalises or seeks out your attention. She picks you, not the other way round!
Our younger female, Permai, is the cheeky one out of the bunch. She really likes the attention, so much so that sometimes she gets in the way, but she definitely has the personality to pull it off.
Bull elephant, Putra Mas is truly magnificent. As his name describes him, he’s our “Golden Prince.” He has so much strength and power, but he’s also very intelligent so he picks things up very quickly.
We as humans can all learn so much from elephants. They really look after each other, and they don’t leave anyone behind. If we followed in their footsteps, the world would be a much kinder place.
Elephants truly are the “gentle giants,” they have the size and power to do so much damage, but they can be so placid, as soft as a feather.
Our elephants here at the Zoo are such great ambassadors for their wild cousins. We work in partnership with Frankfurt Zoological society and with them we support an area in Sumatra called Bukit Tigapuluh, protecting the remaining herd of Sumatran Elephants there.
Every time someone purchases the wild art made by our elephants, or makes a donation to Perth Zoo, they are supporting wildlife.
World Elephant Day is an opportunity for everyone to help raise awareness and join us in #gogreyforworldelephantday. Follow the Zoo’s social media pages to see how we can work together to secure a future for wild elephants. We really can save wildlife together!
Kirsty Carey,
Perth Zoo Senior Keeper
At Perth Zoo on August 12th (World Elephant Day) there will be extra free keeper talks given by our elephant team. There will also be special activities, including face painting for a gold coin donation that goes directly to wild elephant conservation.