Home is where the herd is
Home is where the herd is.
Our friends at
Monarto Safari Park in South Australia have announced a
fundraising campaign to establish a new elephant habitat, where it's hoped Permai and Putra Mas will be founding herd members!
You might remember, in 2018 we first announced our two elephants would be rehomed following the passing of matriarch Tricia.
That's because our female Permai needs to be living with other female elephants, and while our keepers provide exemplary love and care, our South Perth site can't accomodate a functioning herd with multiple individuals.
The new habitat at Monarto Safari Park will be 15 hectares, giving the elephants more room to roam. In the medium future, Monarto Safari Park could become home to up to five elephants!
It is expected Permai and Putra Mas will be joined by Auckland Zoo's elephant, Burma, who will also make the move once the facilities are complete.
We are thrilled Monarto Safari park are keen to create this new Asian Elephant herd and make this jumbo-sized dream come true.
We love our elephants and that’s why we’re putting their needs first.
Elephants have social structure needs that Permai has been missing since her best friend Tricia passed away.
We know the WA community cares about Permai and Putra Mas as much as we do. While we will miss them, we know this is best for their welfare.
Our animal experts have been meticulously searching for a place that can provide opportunity for the proper herd structure needed and plenty of room to roam.
Moving elephants is a mammoth operation and it won’t happen overnight, so you still have plenty of time to visit your elephant friends!
Creating a new herd in South Australia supports the long-term sustainability of the regional elephant conservation program.
It will enable more people to experience elephants and learn about them, to support the vital work we do to protect the species and ensure they remain for future generations.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
+ How and when will the elephants move?
Perth Zoo’s two elephants, Permai and Putra Mas, will travel in custom designed crates to ensure their safety and well-being. Being one of the most isolated zoos in the world, Perth Zoo is an expert in long-haul animal transports.
The keepers who have a very close relationship with the elephants will travel with them to provide support and help them settle into their new home.
Crate training will take time, and we are aiming to have the elephants at their new home in late 2024.
+ How safe will it be to transport the elephants? Will they be OK?
Any animal move is meticulously planned and takes time to organise. Safety and the welfare of the animals in our care are our top priorities.
We are preparing the elephants to make their transport as calm and safe as possible. This includes special training sessions in the transport crates so they feel comfortable, safe and secure.
This paves the way for the elephants to see the crates as their safe havens when they travel.
+ Can’t WA build an open-range zoo and move our elephants there?
An open range zoo is currently not on the agenda. Perth Zoo is currently focussed on completing a master plan for the South Perth site providing a world class experience for the people of Western Australia and visitors to the State.
It would take an exceptionally long time to build a new open range zoo from scratch. We do not have that time. Since Tricia died, Permai has been lonely. It’s been tough for her, and we want her to have elephant friends as soon as possible. We will miss her dearly, but we must do what is best for her. We know she will be happy there.
+ Why are you removing elephants from Perth?
We first announced our elephants would be rehomed in 2018.
Good modern zoos try to replicate a species’ natural living and social conditions. For female elephants, this is with other female elephants. Males tend to be more solitary but can live in bachelor herds and benefit from being near ovulating females.
Perth Zoo is a small zoo within metropolitan South Perth. We are committed to providing the best for the animals in our care and on this site. On our site we cannot develop an elephant exhibit big enough to accommodate a functioning herd comprising of multiple individuals.
As sad as it will be to see them go, we love them so much, we need to do what is best for them – and that means, saying goodbye.
+ Why has it taken so long to find homes for Permai and Putra Mas?
It has been incredibly important that we find the perfect forever homes for Permai and Putra Mas, and finding the right place could not be rushed.
Our animal experts have been meticulously exploring all options to find a place that would provide the best environmental and social conditions for the two elephants.
We’re very excited by the Zoos SA proposition and desire to create a third regional elephant herd. Zoos SA have long been a partner zoo, they are welfare accredited and we know they will do everything to give Permai and Putra Mas the best lives possible in an open range setting.
It was impossible to confirm placements earlier as we did not want to move Permai until after Tricia had passed. Therefore, it was very hard to provide a timeline to our partner zoos and sanctuaries.
+ What happens if Zoos SA can’t raise enough money?
Right now, our focus is on getting our two elephants safely to South Australia. But if this cannot be achieved, we will continue our search for the perfect placement with our regional and international zoo colleagues.
The priority for Permai and Putra Mas has always been to find the best homes and this is not tied to geographical boundaries. No matter what, we will always put the elephants first and do what it best for them.
+ What will be put in the exhibit that the elephants vacate?
This area is earmarked for an expansion of the African Savannah, providing more room to roam for animals such as giraffe, which are also threatened with extinction and a species Perth Zoo is part of a collaborative breeding program for. More information about the future Zoo can be found here.