Home is where the herd is; and that certainly is the case for Monarto Safari Park’s newest arrivals, Pak Boon and Tang Mo!

After a 22-hour, 1300km journey from Mosman to Monarto, the female Asian Elephant pair arrived safe and sound at their new home and habitat yesterday morning.

Both Pak Boon and Tang Mo walked calmly out of their crates and into the elephant barn, where their keepers then helped settle them in with a bath.

The girls are now resting and recuperating thanks to the mighty effort of a dedicated team of veterinarians and keeping staff from Taronga Zoo Sydney and Zoos SA.

The girls’ keepers, Elisha and Alexia from Taronga Zoo Sydney, will stay on for approximately six weeks to provide familiarity and consistency of care as they settle into their new home.

Chief Executive Zoos SA, Dr Phil Ainsley, said everyone at Zoos SA was thrilled to see Pak Boon and Tang Mo arrive in South Australia.

“This is a huge milestone for the Monarto Safari Park Asian Elephant program, with all four of the herd’s founding females now here on site,” he said.

“The safe arrival of the two elephants from Taronga Zoo Sydney is a testament to the dedication and collaboration between our organisations. These moves don’t just happen, there’s been an incredible amount of hard work and planning that has gone into preparing all four elephants and our elephant habitat for this moment.

“It’s an exciting time for our team now, to get to know Pak Boon and Tang Mo, to learn their personalities and see how the relationships across the herd develop.

“The dedicated elephant keepers from Monarto Safari Park and Taronga Zoo Sydney will work with all four elephants, reading their signs, signals, behaviours and mannerisms, to know when they are ready to slowly begin introductions to their new herd-mates.”

Taronga Zoo Sydney, Exotic Fauna Precinct Manager, Mandy Everett, said: “Tang Mo and Pak Boon had an incredibly smooth journey across states, and that is testament to Taronga’s dedicated Elephant keepers and veterinary team, who prepared for this journey for over a year.

“Both girls entered and exited their transport crates as practiced, were reunited together, treated to their favourite snacks and had a restful sleep in their new barn.”

Truck driver, Joe Papaluca, owner of transport company Patlin Heavy Haulage, said this was a bucket list job.

“Transporting elephants isn’t the sort of job that comes up very often, it’s a first for us and one to tick off the list,” he said. “We had many hands up from our team to join this one.”

Over the next few days, 32-year-old Pak Boon and 26-year-old Tang Mo will have the chance to settle into the elephant barn and their attached extended yards, where visitors may catch a glimpse of the new arrivals when they are outside.

As always, Zoos SA is working with the elephants on their time, and Monarto Safari Park Manager of Elephants, Andrew Coers, said the team will work with Pak Boon and Tang Mo to know when they are ready to be introduced to their new herd-mates, Burma and Permai.

“It’s a long journey for both girls, so we want to give the space and time that they need to recover but also to adapt to the new sights, sounds, and smells of Monarto,” he said.

“Both Pak Boon and Tang Mo unloaded really well, it was lovely to see them reunite and display really positive behaviours as they settled in.

“Shortly after entering the barn, the girls were using their trunks to dust bath and both have been eating, drinking and sleeping which is very encouraging.

“Burma and Permai were very curious to see what was going on, and we saw the right signs from both, as well as from Pak Boon and Tang Mo, that they were keen to make that first initial introduction.

“They displayed curiosity and gentle behaviours towards each other, which is a great first step towards further interactions in the future.

“Bringing the four elephant cows together will be very interesting and exciting to see. Elephants are incredibly intelligent, and each animal has a unique personality.

“We look forward to experiencing the mix of personalities and seeing new bonds form.”

Zoos SA have been working closely with PIRSA and the Department of Health to ensure all routine regulations and biosecurity requirements are met, and similarly to most inter-organisational animal transfers, Pak Boon and Tang Mo will now complete a mandatory quarantine period.

This period, which may be up to three months, will also allow the girls sufficient time to settle in, acclimatise, and get to know each other as a larger, social elephant group.

During this time, all four cows will be together in the elephant barn, however Burma and Permai will still have access to the cloverleaf habitat and will be able to be seen by visitors from the Zu-loop bus and walking tracks. Pak Boon and Tang Mo will have access to outdoor yards and lucky visitors may be able to see them on occasion as the bus drives through the elephant precinct.

Once the girls show signs and behaviours that they are comfortable and happy, the expert elephant team will look to bring them together as a herd.

Pak Boon and Tang Mo’s arrival sees the completion of the female cohort for the founding herd at Monarto Safari Park’s expansive 12-hectare habitat.

The cows will be joined by male, 35-year-old Putra Mas from Perth Zoo, later this year.

Tang Mo, translating to ‘Watermelon’ in Thai, is a highly intelligent elephant and is always up for an enrichment challenge and training session.

She has a strong bond with the elephant keepers, usually giving a high-pitched chirp when they arrive each morning to start the day.

Pak Boon, meaning ‘Morning Glory Flower’ in Thai, is strong-willed, determined, energetic and enjoys her daily baths with keepers.

Building a forever home for elephants in South Australia has seen an outpouring of love and support from the community.

This project would not have been possible without the support of our zoo family, the community across both South Australia, Australia and internationally, and generous partners such as SA Water, Exact Contracting, ElectraNet, Toro Australia, Buzz Honey, Comace, Australian Outdoor Living, Northpoint Toyota, Stratco, 7News, Horizon Construction Services, Southern Steel Supplies, Ramsey Brothers, Project Green Group, Peat Soils and Garden Supplies, Powerhouse Logistics, and Patlin Heavy Haulage.

As an endangered species, Zoos SA hopes this support will continue and ignite a passion for ongoing conservation efforts for this magnificent species.

Keen elephant-enthusiasts are encouraged to pre-book their general admission tickets when visiting the herd at Monarto Safari Park.

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.