Just two months after we relocated Burma to Monarto Safari Park to give her a forever home with other elephants, we’re delighted to share this precious first trunk-to-trunk connection between Burma and Perth Zoo’s female elephant Permai!

Permai (35), who arrived at Monarto Safari Park on Wednesday following an epic 2,700km road trip across the Nullarbor with her expert support crew, is the first of four other elephants joining Burma over the coming months to form Zoos South Australia’s founding elephant herd.

Auckland Zoo’s incredible elephant keepers – Andrew, Corryn and Odin, who with long-time teammate Laurel accompanied Burma across the Tasman last November (and whose love for elephants knows no bounds!) have now all taken permanent roles at Monarto Safari Park.

While it’s a big loss for our Zoo whānau, we’re absolutely stoked that Andrew, Corryn and Odin can continue to work with and share their passion for elephants. 

With their Australian colleagues, it’s now an exceptionally busy time and a team effort to settle both elephants in, and importantly, ensure Permai gets all the rest and sleep she needs before the next step of putting her and Burma together in the same space, and eventually out in the habitat.

“We’re on elephant time here, just taking things day by day,” says Andrew - Monarto Safari Park’s newly appointed Manager of Elephants. “Their interactions on Wednesday night linking trunks, then Thursday morning when they were gently touching and sniffing each other, are all good signs. But Permai’s just had a really big trip so is very tired, and we need to get her eating and sleeping properly first and nice and relaxed and in a good head space, and then we can think about next steps.”

Be sure to check out Monarto Safari Park and Perth Zoo’s social channels for how Burma and Permai are doing, and we’ll also look forward to bringing you updates!

Video

Burma and Permai meeting

We’re delighted to share the first trunk-to-trunk connection between Burma and Permai!