Australian Asian Elephant Population 2025

Zoofan15

Zoofan15

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Australian Asian Elephant Population

Introduction

Welcome to the inaugural Australian Asian Elephant Population thread.

In November 2024, Auckland Zoo exported their last elephant, Burma, to Monarto Safari Park; thus ending Auckland Zoo’s 101 year history of holding elephants. It’s likely elephants will never again be held in a New Zealand zoo as none of New Zealand’s four main zoos have plans to hold them in the future. With this in mind, it seems appropriate to rename this thread the Australian Asian Elephant Population.

Current Population

Australia Zoo:

0.1 Megawati (19/07/1999) Sidarta x Umri; Imported 2019
0.1 Widya (21/05/2001) Unknown x Unknown; Imported 2019
0.1 Christina (01/12/2009) Unknown x Unknown; Imported 2019
0.1 Raflesia (00/11/2014) Unknown x Unknown; Imported 2019

Melbourne Zoo:

1.0 Luk Chai (04/07/2009) Gung x Thong Dee
1.0 Roi-Yim (25/11/2022) Luk Chai x Mali

0.1 Mek Kapah (00/00/1973) Wild x Wild; Imported 1978
0.1 Dokkoon (00/00/1993) Chow x Aom Moon; Imported 2006
0.1 Kulab (00/00/2000) Kaew x Thong Dee; Imported 2006
0.1 Num-Oi (00/00/2001) Num Sek x Lampoon; Imported 2006
0.1 Mali (16/01/2010) Bong Su x Dokkoon
0.1 Aiyara (16/11/2022) Luk Chai x Dokkoon
0.1 Kati (01/01/2023) Luk Chai x Num Oi

Monarto Safari Park:

0.1 Burma (00/00/1982) Wild x Wild; Imported 1990

Perth Zoo:

1.0 Putra Mas (00/00/1989) Wild x Wild; Imported 1992

0.1 Permai (00/00/1989) Wild x Wild; Imported 1992

Sydney Zoo:

1.0 Kavi (17/07/2014) Upali x Yasmin; Imported 2020
1.0 Ashoka (19/08/2014) Upali x Anak; Imported 2020

Taronga Zoo:

0.1 Pak Boon (00/00/1992) Unknown x Unknown; Imported 2006
0.1 Tang Mo (00/00/1999) Unknown x Unknown; Imported 2006

Taronga Western Plains Zoo:

1.0 Gung (00/00/2000) Unknown x Unknown; Imported 2006
1.0 Pathi Harn (10/03/2010) Bong Su x Porntip
1.0 Sabai (02/11/2016) Gung x Thong Dee

0.1 Porntip (00/00/1992); Imported 2006
0.1 Thong Dee (00/00/1997); Imported 2006
0.1 Anjalee (23/08/2006) Jayathu x Mayuri; Imported 2015
0.1 Kanlaya (14/06/2018) Putra Mas x Porntip

Total regional population: 8.19 Asian elephant
 
2025 Events

2025 is set to be an exciting year for Australia’s Asian elephant population, with the following events anticipated:

January 2025: Permai transferring to Monarto Safari Park.

February 2025: Melbourne Zoo’s herd transferring to Werribee Open Range Zoo.

March 2025: Werribee Open Range Zoo’s complex opening approximately a month after elephants arrive.

May 2025: Putra Mas transferring to Monarto Safari Park.

June 2025: Pak Boon and Tang Mo transferring to Monarto Safari Park.

December 2025: Anjalee at Taronga Western Plains Zoo due to give birth.

Please note: Dates are estimates and subject to change.
 
Zoofan15 said:
2025 Events

2025 is set to be an exciting year for Australia’s Asian elephant population, with the following events anticipated:

January 2025: Permai transferring to Monarto Safari Park.

February 2025: Melbourne Zoo’s herd transferring to Werribee Open Range Zoo.

March 2025: Werribee Open Range Zoo’s complex opening approximately a month after elephants arrive.

May 2025: Putra Mas transferring to Monarto Safari Park.

June 2025: Pak Boon and Tang Mo transferring to Monarto Safari Park.

December 2025: Anjalee at Taronga Western Plains Zoo due to give birth.

Please note: Dates are estimates and subject to change.
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@Trua mentioned in the previous population thread that Anjalee is due in October/November!
 
Hopefully we will get at least another pregnancy announcement this year from dubbo. Especially now they are no longer taking the taronga girls and the cow bar is being extended.
 
Jambo said:
@Trua mentioned in the previous population thread that Anjalee is due in October/November!
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Zoofan15 said:
Imagine if the calf was born on November 2, 2025!

Aside from being the anniversary of the day the calf’s father was imported into Australia, it’s been the DOB of two of Taronga/Dubbo’s six calves:

0.1 Tukta (02/11/2010)
1.0 Sabai (02/11/2016)
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Correct Jambo!

She cycled in January and conceived then. There's variation in elephant gestation depending on the cow, circumstances like stress, weather ect. ect. Most first time mothers also seem to deliver a little earlier so it could be anytime later this Spring
 
Tiger91 said:
Hopefully we will get at least another pregnancy announcement this year from dubbo. Especially now they are no longer taking the taronga girls and the cow bar is being extended.
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I have a friend who may head down to Dubbo later this month. I've asked if they could ask about this. It would be a disappointment to not continue breeding from Thong Dee and Porntip.
 
Tiger91 said:
Hopefully we will get at least another pregnancy announcement this year from dubbo. Especially now they are no longer taking the taronga girls and the cow bar is being extended.
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Nothing would please me more to hear Porntip (and Thong Dee) was expecting; however I feel like if that was in the plans, then they would have allowed them to conceive ahead of Anjalee, thus providing Anjalee with a role model of neonatal care immediately prior to her own first birth. It would also be beneficial to synchronise the births.

On that note, my hope was Dubbo would plan for a cohort of three calves to Porntip, Thong Dee and Anjalee.

When I contacted Taronga just over a year ago, I was told the barn is still several years away.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Nothing would please me more to hear Porntip (and Thong Dee) was expecting; however I feel like if that was in the plans, then they would have allowed them to conceive ahead of Anjalee, thus providing Anjalee with a role model of neonatal care immediately prior to her own first birth. It would also be beneficial to synchronise the births.

On that note, my hope was Dubbo would plan for a cohort of three calves to Porntip, Thong Dee and Anjalee.

When I contacted Taronga just over a year ago, I was told the barn is still several years away.
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I may be mistaken but Taronga also has limited capacity with their cow barn (the newest one). Just three reasonable sized night stalls - for the three adult cows. With Kanlaya still in the mix, it would perhaps be difficult to have three calves at a time.

The other original barns only have three and two stalls each. One of which isn't used and I imagine is the one that will be replaced but I can't recall which one exactly.
 
Trua said:
I may be mistaken but Taronga also has limited capacity with their cow barn (the newest one). Just three reasonable sized night stalls - for the three adult cows. With Kanlaya still in the mix, it would perhaps be difficult to have three calves at a time.

The other original barns only have three and two stalls each. One of which isn't used and I imagine is the one that will be replaced but I can't recall which one exactly.
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I agree three calves would be a stretch; though certainly two calves could be managed. Kanlaya is at an age where she would be of assistance rather than a hindrance, but could be managed in the adjacent stall (with Thong Dee) if there was any concern about her cohabiting with her mother’s newborn calf during the first few days.

With regards to Dubbo’s three barns, the first barn (three stalls) was built in 1977 for the 1.4 young African elephants; the second barn (two stalls) was built ahead of the arrival of the 1.1 African elephants in 1983; and the third barn (three stalls) was built in 2014 ahead of the transfer of the Asian elephants from Taronga.
 
Trua said:
I may be mistaken but Taronga also has limited capacity with their cow barn (the newest one). Just three reasonable sized night stalls - for the three adult cows. With Kanlaya still in the mix, it would perhaps be difficult to have three calves at a time.

The other original barns only have three and two stalls each. One of which isn't used and I imagine is the one that will be replaced but I can't recall which one exactly.
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Zoofan15 said:
I agree three calves would be a stretch; though certainly two calves could be managed. Kanlaya is at an age where she would be of assistance rather than a hindrance, but could be managed in the adjacent stall (with Thong Dee) if there was any concern about her cohabiting with her mother’s newborn calf during the first few days.

With regards to Dubbo’s three barns, the first barn (three stalls) was built in 1977 for the 1.4 young African elephants; the second barn (two stalls) was built ahead of the arrival of the 1.1 African elephants in 1983; and the third barn (three stalls) was built in 2014 ahead of the transfer of the Asian elephants from Taronga.
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I do wonder how big the proposed barn will be and the capacity of it. The much larger barn will probably replace the initial facilities that were built almost 50 years ago now - looking at Google Earth, there's also a decent amount of space behind this facility to utilise.

It seems the current larger barn used for the cows (of three stalls) will be used for the bulls going forward.

On the barns themselves, the second barn was then used for Burma and Heman when they arrived from Taronga and consequently, Anna and Gigi. This would be the barn that currently sits empty.

It seems Gung, Luk Chai and Pathi Harn replaced Cuddles in the former African Elephant barn following her passing in 2017. I believe Gung and Sabai are currently being housed here overnight.
 
Jambo said:
I do wonder how big the proposed barn will be and the capacity of it. The much larger barn will probably replace the initial facilities that were built almost 50 years ago now - looking at Google Earth, there's also a decent amount of space behind this facility to utilise.

It seems the current larger barn used for the cows (of three stalls) will be used for the bulls going forward.

On the barns themselves, the second barn was then used for Burma and Heman when they arrived from Taronga and consequently, Anna and Gigi. This would be the barn that currently sits empty.

It seems Gung, Luk Chai and Pathi Harn replaced Cuddles in the former African Elephant barn following her passing in 2017. I believe Gung and Sabai are currently being housed here overnight.
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All I’ve heard regarding the new barn is it will be large enough to house the entire matriarchal herd inside for an extended period over the colder months of the year.

Bearing in mind the original plan was for Dubbo to accomodate the two Taronga cows (as well as factoring in succession/future breeding) and this would be a reasonable capacity of multiple stalls and a larger shared space.

Werribee’s complex is a great example of movable walls - allowing for fission/fusion of the herd. It’s a massive improvement on the elephant houses built across the region in the early 20th century, where stalls were fixed/permanently divided. At Auckland Zoo, this was effectively used to manage Jamuna and Malini separately overnight during the challenging introduction period; while doing forward, the emphasis on multigenerational herds will see less need for separation.
 
Jambo said:
I do wonder how big the proposed barn will be and the capacity of it. The much larger barn will probably replace the initial facilities that were built almost 50 years ago now - looking at Google Earth, there's also a decent amount of space behind this facility to utilise.
Click to expand...

I imaging it will be like Werribee's new large barn, or on par with those seen over in Europe. But will have display areas where guests will be able to see the elephants. Dubbo has a very hodge podge elephant area, there is a lot of space but a lot of wasted space due to just adding things as necessary over the years.
It is Dubbo's next slatted majour project so hopefully it won't be to far out.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Bearing in mind the original plan was for Dubbo to accomodate the two Taronga cows (as well as factoring in succession/future breeding) and this would be a reasonable capacity of multiple stalls and a larger shared space.
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This is news to me. How long ago was this the plan? When the first four were moved across, the plan was to still have two separate herds with two breeding cows each.
 
Trua said:
This is news to me. How long ago was this the plan? When the first four were moved across, the plan was to still have two separate herds with two breeding cows each.
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I believe this was the plan following Tukta's passing, effectively reducing Taronga's herd to just one viable cow at the time.

Prior to this, Dubbo had two matrilines (Thong Dee's and Porntip's) and Taronga had just one (Pak Boon's). Pak Boon, however, still had her daughter (Tukta) and it was hoped this matrilineal succession would satisfy Taronga's herd numbers in the long term.
 
Trua said:
This is news to me. How long ago was this the plan? When the first four were moved across, the plan was to still have two separate herds with two breeding cows each.
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Jambo said:
I believe this was the plan following Tukta's passing, effectively reducing Taronga's herd to just one viable cow at the time.

Prior to this, Dubbo had two matrilines (Thong Dee's and Porntip's) and Taronga had just one (Pak Boon's). Pak Boon, however, still had her daughter (Tukta) and it was hoped this matrilineal succession would satisfy Taronga's herd numbers in the long term.
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This is my source (from October 2022):

Three baby elephants are soon to be born at Melbourne Zoo. And a move to a new open-plains life at Werribee may be next.

Some of the world’s urban zoos, including Detroit and San Francisco, have given up their elephants on ethical grounds, while Taronga plans to move its two Sydney-based elephants, who live on just half a hectare, to Dubbo, which has seven elephants on four hectares.

Taronga Zoo had made the decision to phase out; and Dubbo was originally the choice for relocating Pak Boon and Tang Mo. The two cows would have added numbers to the matriarchal herd, with the understanding Tang Mo at least wouldn’t be breeding.
 
Zoofan15 said:
This is my source (from October 2022):

Three baby elephants are soon to be born at Melbourne Zoo. And a move to a new open-plains life at Werribee may be next.

Some of the world’s urban zoos, including Detroit and San Francisco, have given up their elephants on ethical grounds, while Taronga plans to move its two Sydney-based elephants, who live on just half a hectare, to Dubbo, which has seven elephants on four hectares.

Taronga Zoo had made the decision to phase out; and Dubbo was originally the choice for relocating Pak Boon and Tang Mo. The two cows would have added numbers to the matriarchal herd, with the understanding Tang Mo at least wouldn’t be breeding.
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Obviously now that Monarto has came into play, they made the decision to just send both cows over there going forward. Not only would they benefit Monarto's herd in the long term, providing two socially amicable cows to the mix but also perhaps giving Putra Mas the opportunity to breed naturally with Pak Boon.

Not to mention, it would open up space for further breeding at Dubbo which would have otherwise been inhibited by the arrival of two additional mature cows; keep in mind they'd already accepted Anjalee earlier that year.
 
Jambo said:
Obviously now that Monarto has came into play, they made the decision to just send both cows over there going forward. Not only would they benefit Monarto's herd in the long term, providing two socially amicable cows to the mix but also perhaps giving Putra Mas the opportunity to breed naturally with Pak Boon.

Not to mention, it would open up space for further breeding at Dubbo which would have otherwise been inhibited by the arrival of two additional mature cows; keep in mind they'd already accepted Anjalee earlier that year.
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I was advised at the time the transfer of Pak Boon and Tang Mo would have been some time away, primarily due to there being no plans to build the expanded barn for five years or so.

Monarto really was the saving grace for all three zoos. Auckland and Perth may have otherwise had to explore exporting their elephants to the US had Monarto not become an option. Bearing in mind Werribee would have had no motivation to rock the boat on their cohesive herd, the only other alternative I could foresee would have been Sydney Zoo taking the females on - though having two exhibits to manage their two maturing bulls is certainly wise. At best, I imagine Werribee would have considered taking Putra Mas.
 
steveroberts said:
100%, really spot on way to credit Monarto's role with. They have been amazing Monarto with this massive Elephant holding project hey.
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Definitely. I think what surprised us most was how Monarto’s plans seemingly came out of nowhere. It hadn’t been mentioned in the previous masterplan and our expectations were of a bachelor facility 10-15 years from now at best.

To go from that to learn Monarto were building a complex 2/3 the size of Werribee’s masterpiece was beyond any of our dreams. If they breed (especially given they will soon hold the most genetically valuable bull and cow in the region) it be the icing on the cake.
 
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