Animal

Asian elephant Permai meets companion Burma after travelling 2700km to Monarto Safari Park

Permai, a 35-year-old Asian elephant, has travelled 2700km across the Nullarbor to Monarto Safari Park, where she’s finally met Burma, part of her new herd.

Permai, a 35-year-old female Asian elephant, has completed an extensive 40-hour, 2700km journey across the Nullarbor and arrived at her new home, Monarto Safari Park, yesterday morning.

She arrived from Perth Zoo under the watchful care of a dedicated team including veterinarians and keepers. The journey was long and carefully managed to maximize her comfort, including her favorite snacks like peanut butter sandwiches and watermelon.

John Lemon, Acting Director of Life Sciences at Perth Zoo, shared, “It is certainly a relief to see Permai take her first steps into her new home at Monarto Safari Park.”

“It was a long journey along the Nullarbor, but she was made as comfortable as possible with plenty of her favourite treats.

“Understandably she was very tired when she arrived, and would have needed a good sleep in her beautiful new barn. 

“Her welfare has always been our absolute priority and I am exceptionally proud of the entire team for getting her to her forever home safely. 

“Now, we can’t wait to see her start this new chapter and hopefully soon develop a bond with Burma.”

Upon arrival, Permai was understandably exhausted and was given time to rest and recuperate in the elephant barn at the park. Designed to be a calm retreat, this space allows her to adjust to new environmental stimuli in peace and comfort.

Andrew Coers, Monarto Safari Park’s Manager of Elephants, explained the acclimation process for Permai, saying team will be guided by Permai herself as to when she feels comfortable to explore her larger habitat and properly meet Burma, the other inhabitant of the park.

Coers shared, “We’re all very hopeful that Permai and Burma will forge a strong friendship as the two founding members of the new Monarto Safari Park herd,” he said.

“We will closely monitor both of the girl’s behaviour over the next period to gauge not only how Permai is adjusting to her new home, but also if the pair are ready interact with each other.

“The team are on elephant time! So this could take just a few days, but could also take a few weeks. We will be looking for specific actions and body language that signal they are interested and ready to make a new friend.

“Excitingly, they did show interest in interacting late yesterday afternoon. Burma was a little shy at first but they came together to say hello through mesh contact.”

The integration process is crucial and is expected to be gradual, depending on the individual comfort and readiness of the elephants to interact.

Permai’s well-known personality traits, including her mischievous and lively nature, are anticipated to become a source of joy and interest for both her keepers and visitors to the park. She is also described as having a knack for gardening, often playfully engaging with the park’s horticulture team.

The introduction of elephants like Permai and Burma to Monarto Safari Park is part of a larger initiative by Zoos SA to build a sustainable herd that contributes to the global conservation efforts of this endangered species. Peter Clark, Director of Monarto Safari Park, said “Bringing elephants to South Australia has been a jumbo journey and one that we’ve seen spark such an outpouring of love and support from the community.”

Permai is the second elephant to take residence in the park’s expansive 12-hectare habitat, following Burma who arrived from Auckland Zoo in November 2024. More elephants are expected to join from Taronga Zoo Sydney and Perth Zoo to establish a robust and genetically diverse herd.

This project not only aims to create a safe haven for these majestic animals but also strives to ignite a passion for wildlife conservation, ensuring a safer future for Asian elephants.

Monarto Safari Park visitors can see Burma 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.

Non-members are encouraged to pre-book their date specific tickets, either online or through the Zoos SA bookings team to ensure they don’t miss out on a wild day of adventure.

Zoos SA members are not required to book, and will be able to enter the park on any day of their choosing by presenting your valid membership card and photo ID.

For more information or to book your tickets, please visit monartosafari.com.au.

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