The wait is over, with Monarto Safari Park today welcoming the first Zoos SA Members through the gates of its highly anticipated Elephants of Asia precinct.

After months of anticipation, the Park’s newest and largest habitat officially opened to Members today as part of an exclusive three-day preview, ahead of opening to the general public on Saturday 4 July.

The immersive new precinct is now home to Asian Elephants Burma, Pak Boon, Tang Mo, Permai and Putra Mas – providing the five elephants with a purpose-built forever home spanning more than 12 hectares, where visitors can watch them roam, browse, swim, dust bathe and form new social bonds.

Monarto Safari Park Director Dr Ian Smith said opening day marked the culmination of years of planning, collaboration, community support and dedicated work from staff across Zoos SA.

“This has been an incredible journey – from sharing the vision with our community in 2023, to welcoming each elephant as they arrived from across Australia and New Zealand, and now finally opening the precinct to our Members,” Mr Smith said.

“Today is incredibly special because we can begin sharing this remarkable experience with the people who have supported the project from the very beginning.”

“Visitors won’t simply see elephants – they’ll be immersed in their world. They’ll be able to spend time watching natural behaviours, learning about the species and understanding why protecting Asian Elephants in the wild is so important.”

The Elephants of Asia precinct has been made possible through the support of the community, donors and corporate partners. Zoos SA extends its sincere thanks to ElectraNet, whose valued partnership has helped bring this landmark project to life and create a lasting future for Asian elephants at Monarto Safari Park.

The new precinct has been carefully designed to support the complex social lives of elephants, with multiple interconnected habitats allowing the herd to choose when to spend time together or apart.

Elephant Manager Andrew Coers said watching the elephants settle into their new environment had been one of the most rewarding parts of the project.

“These elephants have come from urban zoos where some had lived for more than 20 years, so adjusting to an open-range environment has taken time,” Mr Coers said.

“What we’re seeing now is exactly what we hoped for – elephants being elephants.”

“They’re choosing who they spend time with, they’re grazing, browsing, swimming, dust bathing and developing friendships naturally. Seeing Tang Mo and Permai sleeping beside one another or Burma and Pak Boon beginning to seek each other out tells us they’re becoming comfortable in their new home.”

“Success for us is content elephants, a confident team and visitors leaving with a deeper appreciation for this incredible endangered species.”

As one of Australia’s largest purpose-built elephant habitats, Elephants of Asia also plays an important role in the regional Species Management Program, providing a long-term home for elephants that benefit from living in a larger social herd.

For the first visitors through the gates today, the experience was worth the wait.

Zoos SA Member Larissa Thompson, who travelled more than an hour to be among the first busload of visitors into the precinct, said it exceeded expectations.

“It’s beautiful – such a gorgeous place for families to come and spend time together and look at these amazing animals,” she said.

“We’ve been following the journey from the beginning and couldn’t wait to see it. It’s absolutely worth the drive.”

Fellow Member Veronica Timmermans, who has been eagerly watching the precinct take shape, said receiving the preview invitation was an easy decision.

“We’ve visited so many times waiting for it to open,” she said.

“When the email came through, it was like, ‘I’ve got the day off – I’m coming.'”

Another long-time supporter said seeing the completed habitat highlighted the importance of the welfare-led effort.

“It’s wonderful to see the elephants in such a natural habitat with so much space,” they said.

“I’m especially excited to see Burma, but it’s also lovely to see Permai settled and happy alongside Tang Mo.”

Plan ahead – pre-booking essential

With strong public interest expected, visitors planning to experience Elephants of Asia when it opens to the public on Saturday 4 July are strongly encouraged to pre-book their visit online.

High visitor numbers are anticipated throughout the school holidays, and booking in advance is the best way to guarantee entry and avoid disappointment.

For more information or to secure tickets, visit monartosafari.com.au.