Australasian Asian Elephant Population 2022
- Thread starter Amberangel112
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Burma and Anjalee were a great match from the start. In the footage of them going on exhibit together for the first time, you can see Burma's excitement at finally getting a companion after six years of living on her own. Had Burma been younger, she and Anjalee would have been the ideal match as in many ways Anjalee is a younger version of Burma.
Kashin and Burma were chalk and cheese with Kashin having a comparatively serious and reserved personality. They took two years to bond with each other, largely ignoring each other in the interim as evidenced by photos of them standing back to back (not face to face) in the old elephant yard.
Kashin had previously lived with two elephants at Auckland Zoo after arriving as a four year old in 1972. The first was Ma Schwe, who was four years older. Ma Schwe was an adolescent and was more of a competitive figure than a maternal one. After Ma Schwe's death in 1982, Kashin was joined by an African elephant calf the following year, who died soon after arrival. Kashin had played a maternal role to the calf and was understandably upset by her death.
Australia Zoo have cancelled their import of Burma:
From social media:
We are immensely disappointed to let you know that after many months of planning and hard work by our team here at Auckland Zoo, Australia Zoo has made the decision that they can no longer receive Asian elephant Burma.
The transfer, which was scheduled for next week, has therefore been cancelled and it will take significant time to explore alternatives to rehome Burma.
We will be working on these in the coming days and weeks ahead, and our skilled and dedicated elephant team will continue to provide the same expert care for Burma they always have while she remains with us.
From social media:
We are immensely disappointed to let you know that after many months of planning and hard work by our team here at Auckland Zoo, Australia Zoo has made the decision that they can no longer receive Asian elephant Burma.
The transfer, which was scheduled for next week, has therefore been cancelled and it will take significant time to explore alternatives to rehome Burma.
We will be working on these in the coming days and weeks ahead, and our skilled and dedicated elephant team will continue to provide the same expert care for Burma they always have while she remains with us.
While I’m not complaining that Auckland Zoo will have elephants for a while longer, I’m deeply disappointed for the team who have worked tirelessly on training Burma for this much anticipated export.
Emotionally and physically, this would have been extremely draining for all involved and to have plans change last minute (after they’ve already been disrupted by Covid) would be frustrating to say the least.
It’s also not ideal as Anjalee’s export was timed so that Burma would be on her own for minimal time, as they’re a social species and any time spent isolated from their own kind is not ideal from a welfare perspective.
Going forward, I’d expect Taronga Western Plains Zoo to accept her on humanitarian grounds. Melbourne and Perth don’t have the space and their commitment to phasing out their elephants would see Burma relocate (again) within years of arriving.
Burma would surely assimilate well into Dubbo’s herd and take comfort in being reunited with her familiar companion, Anjalee.
Very interesting and potentially exciting news! It's very interesting that Australia Zoo cancelled the import less than 2 weeks prior to when it was supposed to happen. Perhaps they are now planning on finally receiving a breeding bull? I'd really hope so! It's also great that New Zealand will have an elephant for some more time.
I do feel bad for poor Burma, however, since she's going to be all alone for a lot longer now... I do wonder where she'll be sent. Perhaps Auckland will decide to keep their elephants and when the Melbourne herd is sent to Werribee, their older cow, Mek Kapah will be sent down to join Burma. Maybe Permai from Perth could also join them once Tricia passes... this seems unlikely considering Auckland is pretty confident in phasing out the species but I really don't know what they'll do with Burma now.
Mr.Ivory
Well-Known Member
Such a shame she wont be heading to Australia Zoo, after weeks on end of training it got them no where, but I would be overjoyed to see Burma reunite with Anjalee in Dubbo, but more interestingly with Australia Zoo not receiving Burma could they finally welcome a bull and perhaps a few more cows perhaps a mother and her daugher(s) to finally start breeding.
There was speculation on here a while back that Australia Zoo was under financial strain, that I dismissed given they’d committed to taking on Burma. Their acceptance of Burma always seemed to me to be a humanitarian decision first and foremost given an ageing elephant would do little to enhance their collection.
I’d expect Australia Zoo’s decision to discontinue with Burma’s import indicates a financial justification but without further information, we can’t say for sure.
I like your idea of sending Permai to Auckland upon Tricia’s passing as Permai will be in a similar position to Burma when Tricia passes - post reproductive, middle aged, not valuable to any breeding programme; but sadly I believe Auckland Zoo will stay committed to phasing them out. Sending her to Dubbo remains the most likely option in my opinion.
You can (justifiably) sense the frustration from Auckland Zoo in their statement on the cancellation:
We are immensely disappointed to let you know that after many months of planning and hard work by our team here at Auckland Zoo, Australia Zoo has made the decision that they can no longer receive Asian elephant Burma.
I really feel for Auckland Zoo’s elephant team, who have been preparing for what may well be the most difficult period of upheaval in their careers and will have been mentally preparing themselves for this day. Assuming the export is to still go ahead, this is just prolonging it for both themselves and Burma (which Covid has already done).
I am not aware of any building to house a bull has even been started there yet
An import of Sumatran bulls is years away and may even be cancelled altogether if the zoo is under financial strain. The import will be a multimillion investment that will be difficult to recoup.
The zoo’s eldest elephants are aged 21 and 23 and will soon be past the recommended minimum first time breeding age; leaving the zoo with the two younger cows (aged 7 and 12) to carry on succession of the herd.
Over the next decade, Australia Zoo will have to consider whether it’s more practical to source a bull (or semen for AI) from within the region to breed their two youngest cows; versus the higher cost of importing a purebred Sumatran bull.
Wish Anjalee's transfer had been pushed back now too so she could still be with Burma and maybe go to Dubbo together.
It’s far from ideal that Burma has been left in the lurch by this change of plan and consequently will be left without companionship for a much longer period than originally anticipated.
Within the region, I’m struggling to see any alternative to sending her to Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
Melbourne Zoo are at standing room only; and like Perth, will only be a stop gap solution ahead of another relocation down the line. Taronga are likely looking ahead to transferring their cows to Dubbo (either as a phase out or in exchange for bulls); while Sydney Zoo have no female elephants for Burma to live with.
Burma is an amiable elephant that would happily relinquish the role of matriarch to Porntip if she was to join the Dubbo herd. I wouldn’t anticipate Burma doing anything to unsettle the herd dynamics; but rather settling in and enjoying life within their multi-aged herd as was the intention for her to do so at Australia Zoo.
Dubbo would be the logical choice
I agree. The next step will be for Taronga Western Plains Zoo to decide if they’re willing to accept Burma. While she’s an amiable female that would surely slot seamlessly into their herd; speaking frankly, she’s an ageing female that could become a costly acquisition in geriatric care, while generating little to no extra visitation.
In terms of infrastructure, Dubbo have five yards/exhibits (including two that can be used for introductions); as well as three barns (one of which is suitable for the housing of adult bulls). Assuming introductions can be carried out successfully, they could accomodate Burma with minimal disruption to future breeding plans.
If an agreement can be made with Taronga Western Plains Zoo, they’ll be a flurry of logistics to organise but potentially Burma could join Anjalee at Dubbo within a few months. Having a familiar elephant there, who would have began her assimilation into the herd, would be greatly beneficial in helping Burma to integrate into the herd herself.
Swanson02
Well-Known Member
This is really disappointing from Australia Zoo to pull out of the transfer last minute and leave Auckland Zoo in a very awkward situation. I think this confirms the belief that Australia Zoo is currently under a fair amount of financial strain. So much so, that they perceive one donated elephant to be too much. In January when I visited, I asked about an ETA on the supposed Sumatran bull import and they seemed extremely nonchalant and unworried about it, even when I mentioned their aging older females. I think the initial import cost Australia Zoo a large amount as well as the unaccounted-for costs like the construction of the fence-way between the elephant's night quarters and the exhibit.
To be completely honest I don't think the zoo is too bothered with breeding from their cows at all and might just be content with keeping them as an ambassador herd (for the next 4-6 years if not forever). I think Australia Zoo are right now understandably more concerned with recovering their losses from the import rather than entering into more debt by starting a breeding program no matter how detrimental the years of wait will be to any future breeding plans they have.
I think TWPZ is now the only option for Burma now unless a big American or European Zoo throw cash at Auckland for her. I think she would fit in well and it would be good to see her and Anjalee back together (It will be nice to see her aunty Anjalee's future calves). Although it does make plans of transferring Pak Boon and Tang Mo to TWPZ tougher as now we would have 7 cows + calves all in one herd, I hope TWPZ doesn't get so strapped for space that they cease breeding.
Sorry for the long reply
It makes one wonder why they never imported 3 cows and a bull in the first placeThis is really disappointing from Australia Zoo to pull out of the transfer last minute and leave Auckland Zoo in a very awkward situation. I think this confirms the belief that Australia Zoo is currently under a fair amount of financial strain. So much so, that they perceive one donated elephant to be too much. In January when I visited, I asked about an ETA on the supposed Sumatran bull import and they seemed extremely nonchalant and unworried about it, even when I mentioned their aging older females. I think the initial import cost Australia Zoo a large amount as well as the unaccounted-for costs like the construction of the fence-way between the elephant's night quarters and the exhibit.
To be completely honest I don't think the zoo is too bothered with breeding from their cows at all and might just be content with keeping them as an ambassador herd (for the next 4-6 years if not forever). I think Australia Zoo are right now understandably more concerned with recovering their losses from the import rather than entering into more debt by starting a breeding program no matter how detrimental the years of wait will be to any future breeding plans they have.
I think TWPZ is now the only option for Burma now unless a big American or European Zoo throw cash at Auckland for her. I think she would fit in well and it would be good to see her and Anjalee back together (It will be nice to see her aunty Anjalee's future calves). Although it does make plans of transferring Pak Boon and Tang Mo to TWPZ tougher as now we would have 7 cows + calves all in one herd, I hope TWPZ doesn't get so strapped for space that they cease breeding.
Sorry for the long reply
Or cows that were in calf. The two older cows could have been bred prior to export. It’d be close to a decade before a bull barn was needed, which they apparently intended to build with a few years of their arrival anyway (which I assume is the reason for not importing a bull with the cows at the beginning).
That wouldn’t surprise me. Importing four cows was counter productive to the breeding programme of a zoo where space is finite. Two of the cows are being allowed to lapse into reproductive non viability with the acceptance any breeding will occur through the younger cows (if at all).
However, having four cows all but guarantees decades into the future, they’ll have at least two of these cows alive at their zoo versus starting with two cows and relying on both to survive into old age.
Unfortunately I doubt any zoo outside the region would justify the costs of importing (and caring for) a post reproductive elephant.
As of two years ago, Taronga Western Plains Zoo were planning to build a cow/calf facility which in addition to their existing infrastructure would allow them to manage a larger herd.
If they did import Burma in addition to Anjalee, I’d anticipate the transfer of Pak Boon and Tang Mo to be delayed until at least the new facility is up and running; and with multiple cows now at Dubbo, they may wish to breed from Pathi Harn given Gung is well represented through Luk Chai at Zoos Victoria.
Swanson02
Well-Known Member
I think they didn't import a bull because they wanted free contact will all their cows, Australia Zoo is a bit old-fashioned and out of touch in that way.
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