Zoos SA is trumpeting with excitement as the details of two more Asian Elephants who are set to join three others at Monarto Safari Park in mid-2025 are announced.

Pak Boon and Tang Mo from Taronga Zoo Sydney are packing up their trunks and following in the footsteps of Burma from Auckland Zoo and Permai and Putra Mas from Perth Zoo.

“It’s really exciting to know that Pak Boon and Tang Mo will be coming to Monarto Safari Park in mid-2025,” said Elaine Bensted, CE of Zoos SA.

“We look forward to welcoming the two elephants and sharing the conservation story for the endangered Asian Elephants.

“We can’t wait to watch as Pak Boon and Tang Mo settle in alongside Burma, Permai and Putra Mas at Monarto Safari Park, with the two females joining the herd, just as they would in the wild.

“The most important thing is to get all the elephants safely to their new home in South Australia and that they settle and start to benefit from being in a social herd,” finished Elaine.

Taronga Zoo Sydney, who today announced the news to their community, is keen for the pair to become part of Monarto Safari Park’s new social herd, recognising that the large open range nature of the habitat and the significant increase in size is a welcome addition for the much-loved pair. The zoo said that the pair have been popular residents of the zoo since they arrived in 2006.

“While these magnificent creatures will certainly be missed in Sydney, I’m so heartened to plan for their move to Monarto Safari Park where they will be able to join a bigger, social herd and live in a larger more complex habitat,” said Cameron Kerr AO, CEO of Taronga Conservation Society Australia.

“Taronga’s journey with elephants is far from over and we will continue to play an important role in the regional breeding program with seven elephants in a thriving, multi-generational herd at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo.

“I’d like to thank the Kingdom of Thailand for their ongoing support of this program and also acknowledge the dedicated keepers and staff across Taronga Zoo Sydney who have cared for our elephants in Sydney for almost two decades,” said Cameron.

Tang Mo and Pak Boon arrived at Taronga Sydney Zoo in 2006 from Thailand. Over their time at the harbour-side zoo, the elephants have captured the hearts of the visitors and members not to mention their keepers who have lovingly cared for them over the last two decades.

Burma, who will transfer from Auckland Zoo looks set to arrive at Monarto Safari Park in October/November 2024 and Permai and Putra Mas from Perth Zoo in mid-2025.

Work at Monarto Safari Park’s elephant habitat is well underway with the elephant barn already looking bigger after being extended to fit a larger herd of elephants. Trench and pipework has also started to feed water into the large habitat to fill waterholes and mud baths, thanks to Zoos SA’s partnership with SA Water.

Zoos SA would like to give a trumpet of special thanks to ElectraNet, Corporate Partners of Asian Elephants.

For more details on the project and visiting Monarto Safari Park, please head to: www.monartosafari.com.au