Work is full steam ahead at Monarto Safari Park to create an amazing habitat for five Asian Elephants!

The expansive habitat will be made up of four separate areas with plenty of vegetation, varied terrain, and waterholes to create an enriching environment.

The four spaces will also give keepers flexibility to manage the movement of elephants and support social dynamics as the animals get to know one another.

Four huge waterholes have now been excavated, all with sloped entrances and exits, big enough for the elephants to swim and even fully submerge.

Burma, from Auckland Zoo, will be the first of five elephants to arrive at Monarto Safari Park.

Zoos SA’s Animal Welfare and Research Manager, Justine Partoon, and Animal Behaviour and Creative Programs Manager, Nic Bishop, have recently returned from a trip to Auckland Zoo to get to know Burma and learn more about her personality and behaviours.

Justine undertook a welfare assessment on Burma to establish a baseline from which to compare to her welfare after she moves to Monarto Safari Park.

Elephant welfare is a complex science and learnings from the trip will help put the Zoos SA team on the front foot to monitor and support Burma’s welfare at the park, with the help of her dedicated keepers who will be travelling with Burma and helping her settle into her new home.

The herd will grow in mid-2025 with the arrival of Permai and Putra Mas from Perth Zoo and Tang Mo and Pak Boon from Taronga Zoo in Sydney.