Monarto Safari Park Monarto Safari Park News 2025

Elephant introduction update:

I’m really looking forward to hearing news of the supervised introductions.

From socials:

Asian Elephants Pak Boon and Tang Mo are going swimmingly in their new 12-hectare home. The girls have been exploring their new habitat, including today’s venture into the waterhole - delighting keepers and some lucky visitors!

Expert keepers from Monarto Safari Park, Taronga Zoo and Perth Zoo continue to work with Burma, Permai, Pak Boon and Tang Mo on settling them into their new home and herd.

The four females are all housed in the elephant barn and spending quite a bit of time interacting side by side and through bollard barriers, where keepers are seeing lots of trunk touches and encouraging behaviours. Keepers will continue to closely monitor these exchanges and when they are seeing consistency in the interactions and behaviours between the different elephants, they will slowly begin supervised introductions.
 
Jambo said:
Presumably before the years end, and hopefully in the case of the bull facilities - before Putra Mas arrives later this year.

There are also no concrete swimming pools, they're small dams that serve as naturalistic mini waterholes/wallowing holes for the elephants.
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I believe it was mentioned here recently that they were building a concrete pool?
 
Zorro said:
I believe it was mentioned here recently that they were building a concrete pool?
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You're correct - I think I missed that being mentioned.

There's four additional pools in total being built. One of which is currently under construction, and that is indeed the concrete pool that you mention. Such a pool would hopefully allow the elephants to fully submerge (not sure if the current waterhole gives them the opportunity to do so).
 
Zorro said:
I believe it was mentioned here recently that they were building a concrete pool?
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Jambo said:
You're correct - I think I missed that being mentioned.

There's four additional pools in total being built. One of which is currently under construction, and that is indeed the concrete pool that you mention. Such a pool would hopefully allow the elephants to fully submerge (not sure if the current waterhole gives them the opportunity to do so).
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There will be five pools in total (four in the paddocks; one in the fidget-spinner). All are man-made and will vary in size.

Here’s a map indicating their location:

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Jambo said:
You're correct - I think I missed that being mentioned.

There's four additional pools in total being built. One of which is currently under construction, and that is indeed the concrete pool that you mention. Such a pool would hopefully allow the elephants to fully submerge (not sure if the current waterhole gives them the opportunity to do so).
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I agree watching adult elephants submerge like hippos is a wonderful sight one can see how much they enjoy it
 
Zorro said:
I agree watching adult elephants submerge like hippos is a wonderful sight one can see how much they enjoy it
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Seeing an adult bull elephant submerge is an incredible experience. In Melbourne’s herd, it was the calves that were never out of the pool; but I anticipate the adults in both Monarto and Werribee’s herds will get a lot of use out of the pool. It’ll be invaluable on the hot days.

It’s likely consideration was given in the design of Monarto’s complex to ensuring at least one of the paddocks has a pool that’s either shallow; or can be drained without creating a fall hazard to make it safe for calves. This was factored into the design of TOTE.
 
Swanson02 said:
I'm heading to Monarto again late June. Before I travel to NZ in July. So will ask some more questions then.

I've said this before but last I heard (from Monarto's Black Rhino keeper on the experience) Monarto will not attempt breeding with either Burma or Permai.

However I was told they will attempt breeding with both Tang Mo and Pak Boon.

Which is odd especially for Tang Mo since she's never previously been with calf. Monarto's Black Rhino keeper could just be confused/misinformed.

OR the issues Tang Mo previously had conceiving could not be present anymore?

Could she just be a late bloomer and did not reach sexual maturity until much later than the other cows? Monarto could just be heading into the whole situation, with a 'no harm trying approach'. We know Permai seems to be a quite an anxious/flighty cow, so Putra Mas might have alot better luck with two more social cows.

Likewise with Pak Boon, Taronga vets may have done assessments over the past few years and determined she's still well within the breeding window.

It might explain their more relaxed nature. I hope its not because they a negligent and too laconic.

Additionally I'd love to hear about all the learnings/practices that have evolved out of this whole operation. Staff from 4 Zoos all coming together, sharing their experiences and opinions. Would be real interesting to be a fly on the wall and listen to some of their conversations imo.
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@Swanson02 Would you try and get an update as to when the exhibit is expected to be completed and the size of the new concrete pool, Thanks :)
 
Steve Robinson said:
Please explain. What is a fidget spinner in terms of elephant containment, management and welfare?
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Nile Hippo Expert said:
I believe @Zoofan15 is referring to that there will be a pool in the dry moat of Area 1, which the shape of gives a similar vibe to that of a fidget spinner.
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Zorro said:
I believe it's a clover leaf shape area that was part of the former black rhino paddock
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Yes, I am referring to Area 1 on this map (also known as the cloverleaf paddock):

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Image of a fidget spinner below for comparison:

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Steve Robinson said:
Thank you all. Is this the official description for this area?

Also, I'll probably regret asking this, but what is that contraption used for?
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Monarto call it a cloverleaf, but many of us refer to it the fidget spinner paddock as that what it resembles (Werribee have one too). In Monarto’s case, it’s the paddock that allows visitors the most up close views of the elephants and was one of the first paddocks to be completed.

A regulation fidget spinner is a toy that went viral in 2017. It’s origins were that of a device intended to help people that were otherwise easily distracted (e.g. kids with ADHD) focus:

Fidget spinner - Wikipedia
 
Zoofan15 said:
Monarto call it a cloverleaf, but many of us refer to it the fidget spinner paddock as that what it resembles (Werribee have one too). In Monarto’s case, it’s the paddock that allows visitors the most up close views of the elephants and was one of the first paddocks to be completed.

A regulation fidget spinner is a toy that went viral in 2017. It’s origins were that of a device intended to help people that were otherwise easily distracted (e.g. kids with ADHD) focus:

Fidget spinner - Wikipedia
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If I had a nickel for an open-range zoo that built a new elephant complex featuring a paddock that was shaped like a fidget spinner...

https://youtube.com/shorts/iOz311oQhU0?si=j5ItbAG4D0t69fLq
 
Onika the African wild dog has died:

Onika the African wild dog has died. His death leaves the zoo with 3.3 African wild dogs (parents and 2.2 offspring):

1.0 Baraka (21/04/2017) Hasani x Kisuri (Perth)
0.1 Bulu (14/01/2016) Jengo x Kibi (Monarto)
1.0 Masikio (27/04/2021) Baraka x Bulu (Monarto)
1.0 Ajani (27/04/2021) Baraka x Bulu (Monarto)
0.1 Amani (27/04/2021) Baraka x Bulu (Monarto)
0.1 Sanaa (27/04/2021) Baraka x Bulu (Monarto)
 
Elephant ID:

Video by the Monarto elephant keepers on key features/characteristics of the Asian elephant cows:

Burma - pink pigmentation down the trunk, favours the trees/shade

Permai - very hairy, curved back, pigeon-toed, kink in tail

Pak Boon - traditional rounded elephant, lots of hair at base of the tail, has the most pink pigmentation around the head and ears

Tang Mo - tallest elephant, quirky personality

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=661551220129686
 
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