Burma the Asian elephant settles in at Monarto Safari Park after mammoth move
After touching down in Adelaide from her jumbo-sized move, Burma the elephant is making herself at home at Monarto Safari Park.
SA News
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After touching down in Adelaide from her jumbo-sized move, Burma the elephant is settling into her new home, according to her keepers.
The plane carrying the 42-year-old Asian elephant touched down about 3.30pm yesterday, after a 4.5 hour flight from Auckland.
She was then taken to her new home at Monarto Safari Park, where Auckland Zoo elephant team leader Andrew Coers, who travelled with Burma on her flight yesterday, says she is settling in well.
“Burma had a good sleep last night, all her movements are positive and she’s eating well which is what we were hoping to see,” he says.
“She’s moving around her new environment, sussing it all out, smelling everything and generally making herself at home.
“We’ll continue to monitor her as she settles in, but early indications are that she’s recovering well from a long day of travel.”
Zoos SA Chief Executive, Elaine Bensted, says it was a year-long project to bring elephants back to SA.
“When Zoos SA put the call out in 2023 to raise funds to bring Asian Elephants to Monarto Safari Park, we never expected just how much the public would get behind this idea and commit to setting these elephants up with this social dynamic as a new herd.
“It’s been 30 years now since South Australia had a resident elephant and we know just how much it means to the elephant and conservation-loving community to see these awe-inspiring animals back roaming the Mallee Plains,” she says.
Burma is the first of five elephants to arrive at Monarto.
She will next be joined by 33-year-old female Permai along with Putra Mas – a male – also 33, from Perth Zoo, who are set to come to SA by mid-2025.
Taronga Zoo’s 31-year-old female Pak Boon and 25-year-old female Tang Mo, will arrive by the end of 2025, according to the zoo.
The five-elephant herd will form a regional breeding and advocacy program for Asian Elephants, which are an endangered species.
Monarto Safari Park director Peter Clark, says bringing the herd together is a win-win.
“Female elephants are highly social, and typically live in matriarchal herds,” he says.
“Here within this new Monarto herd, Burma will contribute to and greatly benefit from being with other elephants in this way.”
Burma will stay in quarantine during her first few 30 days at the zoo, which is expecting visitor numbers to “significantly increase” when the park’s new world-class 12ha elephant habitat opens to the public.
It’s a week of major moves at SA zoos.
Wednesday is the final day to see pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni, who are about to embark on their return journey to China.
They are set to be replaced by female panda Yi Lan and male panda Xing Qiu.
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