Images: Taronga Conservation Society Australia
After last week’s totally adorable first encounter between Monarto Zoo’s new elephants, Burma (from Auckland Zoo) and Permai (from Perth Zoo), Sydney’s Taronga Zoo has shared that their own Tang Mo and Pak Boon are gearing up to join the herd.
“Tang Mo and Pak Boon have been much-loved residents of the zoo since they arrived with three other elephants from Thailand in 2006 to establish a regional breeding program which has flourished across multiple zoos, educated millions of guests, and contributed vital learnings about the care for elephants to zoo and wild settings,” shared Taronga Conservation Society Australia CEO Cam Kerr AO.
Tang Mo and Pak Boon will join Permai and Burma in their expansive 12-hectare habitat at Monarto Safari Park. With Tang Mo, Pak Boon, and Putra Mas from Perth Zoo set to join, Monarto is well on the way to establishing a robust and genetically diverse herd.
Set for arrival in late March of this year, Taronga’s elephant keepers have been hard at work preparing the animals for the move.
“The goal of training is to give Tang Mo and Pak Boon the choice to voluntarily participate in daily crate and seatbelt sessions, which build positive associations to the transport crate and their safety leg bands ahead of the March move,” said Taronga Zoo Exotics Manager Mandy Everett.
“The daily sessions give Tang Mo and Pak Boon the option to explore, test, enter and exit their transport crate at their own pace, and is ultimately conditioning them to the safe and positive space that they will travel in.
“Pak Boon and Tang Mo voluntarily present their feet for safety leg bands to be comfortably fit, which are much like a seatbelt or handle that you hold when standing on a bus or train. It’s an important safety and comfort measure to help in the journey when the transport truck brakes, accelerates, or turns,” shared Mandy.
We can expect to see Pak Boon and Tang Mo arrive in Adelaide in March.
Monarto’s elephant project has been done to create a safe haven for these majestic animals, while also aiming to continue a passion for wildlife conservation and a safer future for Asian elephants.
If you’re yet to head down to Monarto Safari Park and view the elephants, Burma can be viewed on habitat from the Zu-loop bus or park walking trails, accessible with pre-booked general admission tickets. Zoos SA will keep the public updated on when Permai will also be visible on habitat.
To keep up to date with the herd, click here.
More News
