78890

Perth Zoo's last remaining female elephant, Permai, has commenced her road journey to her new home at South Australia's Monarto Safari Park.

Permai was this morning loaded into a custom-built crate, then lifted by crane onto the back of a truck before beginning her 2,700 kilometre country journey.

Perth Zoo officials said Permai was enjoying some watermelon after being given a light sedative before the crane lifted the 4-tonne crate, with the 4-tonne elephant inside, onto the truck.

Permai’s new home at Monarto Safari Park's open-range enclosure in Adelaide - where she is expected to arrive on Wednesday morning - covers 14 hectares (almost the size of the entire Perth Zoo).

Elephant keeper Jody Polson has been with Permai for 10 years and is not only on the truck for the journey but will also be living in Adelaide for the next six to 12 months to help her settle in.

Polson recently told the ABC "I see these elephants more than my friends and family, so it's safe to say that they are my family.”

"So making sure that she's got that constant in her life for a little bit longer before everything changes was really important to me.”

The decision to relocate the Perth Zoo's last two Asian elephants, Permai and the male Putra Mas, was announced in 2018 - with it set to happen after the death of matriarch Tricia, which occurred in 2022.

Preparing for Permai's move has taken years of planning, and while flying was considered, it was decided driving would be best for her welfare.

With male Asian elephant Putra Mas set to follow later in the year, the pair will live in an enclosure that will eventually house five elephants.

The group will then have sufficient diversity for breeding.

With Perth Zoo to be without elephants for the first time in decades, their departure will trigger another round of development at the attraction, which is currently installing a gibbon run that will triple their habitat and allow patrons to walk beneath the primates as they enter the zoo.

It will also welcome two new rhinoceros and, in the longer term, the zoo will expand the African Savannah, with plans to introduce new species.

The project will cost an estimated $30 million and take several years to complete.

Images: Perth Zoo's last remaining female elephant, Permai (top) and an artist's impression of the new giraffe enclosure at Perth Zoo (below). Credit: Perth Zoo.

Related Articles

24th January 2025 - Journey Beyond to manage and operate Monarto Safari Resort

21st January 2025 - Giant pandas make public debut at Adelaide Zoo

20th January 2025 - Rockhampton Zoo partners with ANBA to deliver native bee hotel workshop

10th January 2025 - Adelaide Zoo welcomes arrival of three male Capybaras

17th December 2024 - Giant Pandas arrive at Adelaide Zoo

15th December 2024 - Zoos SA updates on Monarto Safari Park’s Asian elephant herd

9th December 2024 - Zoos SA appoints Dr Phil Ainsley as new Chief Executive

13th November 2024 - Auckland Zoo’s Asian elephant arrives at Monarto Safari Park

6th November 2024 - Work progresses on new Perth Zoo gibbon habitat as part of multi-million dollar masterplan

10th October 2024 - Adelaide Zoo’s African lions euthanised after Mujambi suffers medical episode

4th October 2024 - Zoos SA Chief Executive to retire in 2025 with recruitment process launched for replacement

22nd September 2024 - More than 215,000 free tickets to Perth Zoo claimed via ServiceWA app

9th September 2024 - Western Australian Government offers free entry to Perth Zoo

19th July 2024 - Perth Zoo to enhance accessibility with new Changing Places facility

12th June 2024 - Construction on Werribee Zoo’s new Elephant home reaches half-way mark

17th June 2024 - Adelaide Zoo to farewell Giant Pandas Fu Ni and Wang Wang

29th May 2024 - Adelaide Zoo marks 141 years with opening of original MInchin Directors’ home

2nd April 2024 - Function room and accommodation plans revealed for Taronga Western Plains Zoo

1st May 2024 - David van Ooran announced as Executive Director of Perth Zoo

5th September 2023 - Perth Zoo appoints operator for new café precinct and function centre

31st August 2023 - Zoos SA Asian Elephants campaign realises its target of $2.025 million

30th August 2023 - Zoos SA delighted to receive $1 million private donation for Asian Elephant campaign

7th August 2023 - Last Perth Zoo elephants to be rehomed at South Australia’s Monarto Safari Park

8th July 2022 - Perth Zoo and wider community mourn Tricia its beloved 65 year-old Asian Elephant

28th June 2022 - Perth Zoo celebrates successful breeding of threatened species 

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

Click here to view our subscription options.