This is the best possible move for her future I hope she will be living her best life!Burma having fun outside today, loving the sand pit
Monarto Safari Park Monarto Safari Park News 2024
- Thread starter Zoofan15
- Start date
-
- Tags
- monarto safari park
Burma having fun outside today
Burma loves throwing sand. She had a small sand pit at Auckland Zoo, but nothing on this scale. While sand mounds are commonly used in zoos for sleeping spots; it’s great to see the Werribee and Monarto complexes will both feature sandpits. Andrew from the Auckland team had input on the design of the Monarto complex and its suffice to say nobody knows Burma better than he.
Burma throwing sand at Auckland Zoo:
Attachments
Luke899
Well-Known Member
@Zoofan15 Question zoofan, will we eventually see Putra Mas and the girls in the same enclosure together if they can peacefully co-exist without conflict?
I was watching the Chester Zoo UK documentary and the family of elephants (such a tragedy what happened there). I noticed the bull(s) and females are often together in the same enclosure. I also believe that the Melbourne zoo bulls have been with the females often? ( I might be wrong)
Because like, surely if Putra Mas produces offspring at Monarto, surely he'd be allowed to be around it, and that means being with the females.
And if the offspring is a bull, Putras Mas would need to teach the little one how to be a man, correct?
I was watching the Chester Zoo UK documentary and the family of elephants (such a tragedy what happened there). I noticed the bull(s) and females are often together in the same enclosure. I also believe that the Melbourne zoo bulls have been with the females often? ( I might be wrong)
Because like, surely if Putra Mas produces offspring at Monarto, surely he'd be allowed to be around it, and that means being with the females.
And if the offspring is a bull, Putras Mas would need to teach the little one how to be a man, correct?
Last edited:
Great questions!
Putra Mas will live alone the majority of the time; with the cows (who ideally will be able to form a cohesive herd) living separately. Depending on his temperament and the interactions observed, there’s a good chance Putra Mas will be allowed the opportunity to visit all four cows. This could take the form of being allowed into their paddock for a morning or afternoon. Since mature bulls don’t live full time with the matriarchal herd, it would be abnormal for Putra Mas to spend any extended time with the cows.
Werribee will also be adhering to this social structure, which is already in place at Melbourne. Two paddocks have been designated for bulls; three for cows. Each will have a pool; and the cows will have a sand pit. Bull calves will begin their transaction out of the herd at around six to seven years, with the cows indicating when it’s time for them to leave.
Luk Chai at Melbourne is a placid bull (by bull standards) and has proved gentle with both cows and calves. He has always lived separately from the cows at Melbourne since his arrival in 2020; but has had full contact sessions/visits with both them and his offspring, beginning when the calves were around a year old. Bong Su similarly spent time around his offspring and was gentle with them.
Bulls learn mounting behaviours by observation, which they ideally will then have the chance to practice on female peers. Luk Chai used to visit his sire at Taronga and observed Gung mounting females, which no doubt contributed to his development as a successful breeding bull. Hopefully Putra Mas will be able to provide a similar role model to any bull calves born at Monarto.
Luke899
Well-Known Member
Thanks bro, you're a real genius with zoo knowledge
I wonder why, when Asian countries import animals, it is considered animal trading and gets banned or protested by some animal rights groups, but when Western/white countries do the same, it seems to be acceptable. Why is there this double standard? I think the standards for doing it are the same.
i Miss the Putra Mas when he is in Zoo Melaka, Malaysia
i Miss the Putra Mas when he is in Zoo Melaka, Malaysia
I wonder why, when Asian countries import animals, it is considered animal trading and gets banned or protested by some animal rights groups, but when Western/white countries do the same, it seems to be acceptable. Why is there this double standard? I think the standards for doing it are the same.
i Miss the Putra Mas when he is in Zoo Melaka, Malaysia
Just a correction that Australasian zoos have by no means been immune to animal rights groups when it comes to importing elephants.
Auckland Zoo planned to import a female elephant named Nandi from Sri Lanka, which was blocked by animal rights protesters in 2017. The elephant never arrived.
When Taronga and Melbourne imported the eight elephants from Thailand in 2006, there were numerous protests leading up to the export. One of the final roadblocks (literally) was when protesters blocked the road and the trucks carrying the elephants were forced to turn back.
An email update sent to Perth Zoo members about Permai and Putra Mas’ move to Monarto:
Their specially designed transport crates have arrived at Perth Zoo, so they can get used to them before embarking on their journey to Monarto Safari Park in South Australia.
The purpose-built travel crates were manufactured by CADDS Group’s CADDS Fabrication in Henderson and designed collaboratively with Perth Zoo staff. Being the most isolated zoo in the world, moving animals to and from Perth Zoo safely whilst providing all their creature comforts is something the Zoo team are internationally renowned for.
Moving elephants is a jumbo effort, nothing is rushed when it comes to safely preparing our precious pachyderm pair for travel – that includes crate training!
Our dedicated elephant carers have been working with the elephants every day for the past 12 months doing daily training with a temporary crate borrowed from Taronga Zoo in Sydney.
Now their own specialised crates have arrived, constructed at the perfect height, width, and length. They are literally made to measure!
The elephant team will be taking small steps each day to ensure both Permai and Putra Mas see this crate as a sanctuary – a safe space before they start their cross-country adventure.
These crates, designed specifically for their needs and comfort, will play a crucial role in their safe and stress-free transition to South Australia.
It will be bittersweet to say goodbye to the elephant pair, but the welfare of the two elephants has been the guiding principle for their move. Permai needs to be with other female elephants and Putra Mas will benefit by being in an expansive habitat with multiple females close- by.
Our elephants deserve the very best, and the new herd and habitat at Monarto Safari Park will give them just that!
Their specially designed transport crates have arrived at Perth Zoo, so they can get used to them before embarking on their journey to Monarto Safari Park in South Australia.
The purpose-built travel crates were manufactured by CADDS Group’s CADDS Fabrication in Henderson and designed collaboratively with Perth Zoo staff. Being the most isolated zoo in the world, moving animals to and from Perth Zoo safely whilst providing all their creature comforts is something the Zoo team are internationally renowned for.
Moving elephants is a jumbo effort, nothing is rushed when it comes to safely preparing our precious pachyderm pair for travel – that includes crate training!
Our dedicated elephant carers have been working with the elephants every day for the past 12 months doing daily training with a temporary crate borrowed from Taronga Zoo in Sydney.
Now their own specialised crates have arrived, constructed at the perfect height, width, and length. They are literally made to measure!
The elephant team will be taking small steps each day to ensure both Permai and Putra Mas see this crate as a sanctuary – a safe space before they start their cross-country adventure.
These crates, designed specifically for their needs and comfort, will play a crucial role in their safe and stress-free transition to South Australia.
It will be bittersweet to say goodbye to the elephant pair, but the welfare of the two elephants has been the guiding principle for their move. Permai needs to be with other female elephants and Putra Mas will benefit by being in an expansive habitat with multiple females close- by.
Our elephants deserve the very best, and the new herd and habitat at Monarto Safari Park will give them just that!
Small update on Burma via email;
With expert knowledge of her needs, Burma's dedicated keepers who travelled with her from Auckland Zoo have been providing her with familiar company and the very best of care as she settles into her new home.
Burma is sleeping well and adjusting to all the new sights, sounds and smells of Monarto Safari Park's Mallee plains.
Additionally, there also seems to be a another update elephant wise coming soon which was also mentioned in the email: Pssst, keep your eyes peeled for something special stomping your way next week. We'll release more details soon...
With expert knowledge of her needs, Burma's dedicated keepers who travelled with her from Auckland Zoo have been providing her with familiar company and the very best of care as she settles into her new home.
Burma is sleeping well and adjusting to all the new sights, sounds and smells of Monarto Safari Park's Mallee plains.
Additionally, there also seems to be a another update elephant wise coming soon which was also mentioned in the email: Pssst, keep your eyes peeled for something special stomping your way next week. We'll release more details soon...
Swanson02
Well-Known Member
Interesting, I assume the update will be the date she is open to the public
A few updates from Zoos SA Annual Report 2023-2024:
- Four Long-nosed Potoroos (new species) have been acquired to create a new Mallee Walkthrough Experience that is under construction.
- Summary of lesser-known births: five Ring-tailed Lemur infants, four Tasmanian Devil joeys, three Yellow-footed Rock-Wallaby joeys, two Brush-tailed Bettong joeys, 11 Greater Stick-nest Rats pups, two Plains-Wanderer chicks, 12 Eland calves, a female Waterbuck calf, two giraffe calves, 10 Nyala calves, two Mongolian Wild Horse foals and four Plains Zebra foals.
They are certainly breeding the Nyala often good to see it!
Swanson02
Well-Known Member
It's great to see Waterbuck breeding success, seems few have been born in recent years outside of Monarto and Altina. Also, 12 Eland calves are extraordinary; Monarto must be holding somewhere between 70-100 Eland by now across multiple herds, which is big for the region. Does anyone know which zoos currently hold Eland in Australia? I'd imagine it would only be 4-5
Also, four Plains Zebra foals seem to have flown under the radar. Monarto must have close to 30 Zebra by now—does anyone have an updated number?
Osedax
Well-Known Member
According to the exotic mammals thread there are 5 current holders - the three open range zoos plus Altina and National.
They had 22 as of last year, taking into account a few deaths I'm aware of I believe they're somewhere around 25 ish individuals at the moment. Unfortunately Monarto are tight lipped about their zebras, so I guess the only way to get an accurate answer would be to ask when visiting directly!
Werribee's herd is also quite large. Numbering around 30 individuals; nothing compared to Monarto, although a similar number in regards to herd size.
When I first visited the Western plains zoo a few months after it first opened in 1977 I counted about 50 Eland at that time!
I wonder why, when Asian countries import animals, it is considered animal trading and gets banned or protested by some animal rights groups, but when Western/white countries do the same, it seems to be acceptable. Why is there this double standard? I think the standards for doing it are the same.
i Miss the Putra Mas when he is in Zoo Melaka, Malaysia
Putra Mas was at Zoo Melaka in Malaysia once? didnt know that, thought he was in a logging camp or something. He wouldn't of been there for long he was only 3 when he arrived at Perth Zoo in December 1992 with Permai and Teduh. (Know this is a Monarto Zoo thread, well Putra Mas destined for Monarto makes its relevant to).
Luke899
Well-Known Member
I mean depends on the animal. Asia's wildlife laws were terrible back then, still not great now. If its native in asia, they're usually just smuggled from the wild like elephants
Just like Permai and Putra Mas here, who were taken from the wild.
(Putra Mas front, Permai back)
Attachments
I believe all three (Putra Mas, Permai and Teduh) were there briefly prior to their import into Australia. There was a doco about their import, but it’s been a while since I saw it, so am open to correction.
Swanson02
Well-Known Member
From the picture, they both look quite hairy! I wonder if they are closely related? Not necessarily siblings but cousins. If they were taken from the same wild location it's possible they could be related