Welcome, President Trunk: First new elephant arrives at Monarto Safari Park

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A big new resident has arrived at Monarto Safari Park.

Asian elephant Burma safely touched down in South Australia on Tuesday after a giant journey from the Auckland Zoo.

Visitors won’t be seeing her for another month or so while she undergoes quarantine, but she’ll have the support, familiar company and expert care of her dedicated keepers from Auckland.

She’ll also have all the comforts of a customised elephant barn, including heating, cooling and solar power.

Auckland Zoo elephant team leader Andrew Coers said his team was really happy with how Burma was recovering from her journey.

“Burma had a good sleep (on Tuesday) night, all her movements are positive and she’s eating well, which is what we were hoping to see,” he said.

“She’s moving around her new environment, sussing it all out, smelling everything and generally making herself at home.”

Keepers would continue to monitor Burma as she settled into her new home, he said, but so far, so good.

Zoos SA chief executive Elaine Bensted said it was hard to believe Burma was finally here.

“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,” she said.

Burma will be joined later next year by Permai and Putra Mas from Perth Zoo, and Pak Boon and Tang Mo from Taronga Zoo in Sydney.

Together, the five Asian elephants will form a founding herd as part of the Australasian Zoo and Aquarium Association’s regional breeding and advocacy program.

That was a win for everyone, said safari park director Peter Clark.

“Female elephants are highly social, and typically live in matriarchal herds,” he said.

“Here within this new Monarto herd, Burma will contribute to and greatly benefit from being with other elephants in this way.

“It’s important that we’re sharing how we provide the best welfare outcomes for elephants like Burma and the four others coming to join her here, while also educating people about conservation efforts and how they can help to save this beautiful species in the wild.”

Burma was born in 1982 in Myanmar, where she spent her early years at a logging camp.

She arrived at Auckland Zoo in 1990 to join older female elephant Kashin, who became her constant companion until passing away in 2009.

Last year Zoos SA raised $2 million in 28 days to help with expenses related to the elephants’ new living quarters.

Asian Elephants are an endangered species, with a wild population in continuing decline due to habitat loss and fragmentation, and human-elephant conflict.

It has been 30 years since the safari park last had a resident elephant as part of their conservation efforts, roaming the mallee plains.

Burma will not be visible to the public until her quarantine period ends in a few weeks’ time.

• Read more: Elephants confirmed for Monarto after fundraising campaign reaches its goal
• More information: www.monartosafari.com.au/elephants-at-monarto.

Correction: The headline on this story has been updated to better reflect the fact that Burma will be the first elephant at Monarto in 30 years.