Zoos SA updates on Monarto Safari Park's Asian elephant herd

Zoos SA has advised on the progress of Asian elephant, Burma, who has completed her standard quarantine period at Monarto Safari Park and is now ready for visitors - and a new friend from Perth Zoo, Permai.

Burma is the first arrival of what will be a herd of five Asian elephants at the expansive new 12 hectare habitat at Monarto Safari Park. Throughout 2025 she will be joined by four other elephants: female Permai (34) and male Putra Mas (34) from Perth Zoo, females Pak Boon (31) and Tang Mo (25) from Taronga Zoo. The herd is being brought together as part of the Australasian Zoo Aquarium Association’s (ZAA) regional breeding and advocacy programme for Asian elephants - an Endangered species with a continuing declining wild population due to habitat loss/ fragmentation and human-elephant conflict.

Having already endeared herself to the South Australian public upon her celebrated arrival from Auckland Zoo in November, Burma has settled into her new forever home incredibly well and is now taking the next step – quite literally – into the wider elephant habitat at Monarto Safari Park. She won’t have it to herself for too long though, before she is joined by the next arrival of the herd: Permai, who will be travelling to Monarto Safari Park from Perth Zoo in late January.

Burma this week took her first explorative steps beyond her quarantine space, into what is known as the cloverleaf area of the elephant habitat – over three acres of open terrain complete with waterhole – where Monarto Safari Park visitors can see her from public viewing areas.

Andrew Coers, one of the dedicated elephant team who has travelled with Burma from Auckland Zoo, says he is very happy with how she’s adapted to her new environment advising “she’s settled in really well, the whole team is really pleased with how she’s going.

“Naturally there’s been some moments that have taken her a bit by surprise, the sounds are very different here and her first encounter with kangaroos the other day was a new experience, but she keeps taking it all in and I’m incredibly proud of both Burma and the team for how well she’s settled in.

“It’s wonderful to see her today out of the smaller quarantine yard and tentatively exploring the wider habitat. She was a bit hesitant at first, not sure what to do or where to go, but the team’s been here beside her the whole time and like everything else this past month, she’s just taking it all in her stride.”

Coers has worked with Burma for 25 years and is one of four elephant keepers who accompanied Burma to Monarto Safari Park. Auckland Zoo staff also include senior elephant keeper Corryn Coers who has worked with Burma for 22 years, and senior elephant keeper Odin Neil who has worked with Burma for 14 years. They plan to stay on with Burma for as long as required to provide her with the familiar, reassuring company and continuity of care as she settles into the new environment, and meets and integrates with her new elephant family – which will begin sooner than initially expected.

Director of Monarto Safari Park, Peter Clark, says he is looking forward to seeing the herd start to form, when Permai makes the journey from Perth Zoo early in the new year.

Clark advised “Female elephants are highly social, and typically live in matriarchal herds; we’re bringing these elephants together here because we know they’ll contribute to and benefit from being part of a more natural herd structure and social dynamic.

“We’ve been really pleased with how the elephant planning and preparation has been going on all fronts, so it makes sense that we can start bringing the herd together a bit earlier than what we originally expected.

“With Burma settled in really well here at Monarto Safari Park, and Permai hitting all the key milestones in the training and preparation for her travel, we’re really pleased to be able to bring these two girls together to start what will hopefully be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

Having seen the community’s excitement around Burma’s arrival, Zoos South Australia Chief Executive Elaine Bensted is anticipating high visitor numbers at Monarto Safari Park over the coming months.

“Summer is always a busy time at Monarto Safari Park, but when you add in our recent Tourism Awards and the incredible enthusiasm we’ve already seen around Burma, we’re expecting this season to break records,” says Bensted.

“That’s why we’re asking all non-members to pre-book their tickets to Monarto Safari Park, so we’re able to manage demand and ensure that everyone has an experience that is memorable for all the right reasons.”

More information and bookings to Monarto Safari Park