Monarto Safari Park Monarto Safari Park News 2025

[Johnpaul21]

It’s a shame that only 1 out of 4 elephants are able to breed and chances are if Pak Boon were to fall pregnant it probably would be through AI. If she does fall pregnant and give birth it is an amazing facility should it happen- 4 females all providing support and Putra Mas could be a great mentor/role model to his child So I hope that it does happen but I’m not sure their current plan is….

 

[Zoofan15]

It’s a shame that only 1 out of 4 elephants are able to breed and chances are if Pak Boon were to fall pregnant it probably would be through AI. If she does fall pregnant and give birth it is an amazing facility should it happen- 4 females all providing support and Putra Mas could be a great mentor/role model to his child So I hope that it does happen but I’m not sure their current plan is….

It’d be good if the next person to visit Monarto Safari Park can ask about their elephant breeding plans so we can have some clarification around this.

Building a multigenerational herd around a single cow doesn’t offer the best prospects for success, factoring in her age (33 years) and the obvious fact that there’s no guarantee she will produce daughters (in the event she conceives).

 

[Johnpaul21]

I’d be happy to ask a PZ ele keeper but not sure if they would know….. Also why can’t she give birth to a male?

 

[Zoofan15]

I’d be happy to ask a PZ ele keeper but not sure if they would know….. Also why can’t she give birth to a male?

If Pak Boon only produces sons, Monarto won’t be able to build up a multigenerational herd. Bull calves begin their transition out of the herd at around seven or eight years of age in captivity.

A son from Putra Mas and Pak Boon (two founders) would be genetically valuable and have multiple applications to the regional breeding programme; but one would be sufficient and for the sake of building up a herd, female calves are needed. The ideal would be 1.2 calves from Putra Mas and Pak Boon.

 

[Johnpaul21]

Should it come to last resort if Pak Boon is unable to breed, would they try either AI Permai or give her and Putra Mas another shot? I know they tried Putra Mas and Permai many years back but now they are in a better facility would it be a possible last resort?

 

[Zoofan15]

Should it come to last resort if Pak Boon is unable to breed, would they try either AI Permai or give her and Putra Mas another shot? I know they tried Putra Mas and Permai many years back but now they are in a better facility would it be a possible last resort?

No, it’s recommended that female elephants have their first calf by their early 20’s to ensure successful future breeding. Permai failed to produce a calf by this age and is now aged 36 years.

Long birth intervals between calves (10 or more years) are inadvisable with regards to maintaining reproductive health; which is also the reason it’s so important Pak Boon conceives sooner rather than later for the sake of remaining a viable breeder.

 

[Luke899]

Out and about.

 

[Zorro]

Out and about.

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Its good to see some updated pics hopefully they keep them updated

 

[Yassa]

Permai is 100% infertile at this point. Females need to start breeding early in life and then produce calves regularly to stay fertile.
By the way, I don’t think the keepers will share the breeding plans with the public. So any answers you may get may be accurate- but more likely not.

 

[steveroberts]

Permai is 100% infertile at this point. Females need to start breeding early in life and then produce calves regularly to stay fertile.
By the way, I don’t think the keepers will share the breeding plans with the public. So any answers you may get may be accurate- but more likely not.

100% is too high, that's a percentage of certainty and absolute, when it would not quite be the case with her biologically just yet; but her window of success with and odds of, yes that time for her has long past for odds to both A. conceive at all and B. to have a healthy and surviving calf (even surviving in-utero) minute hope for; and course given her age they of course wont be trying with her; its not quite 100% though (but is treated as such essentially..well, more than essentially, there would be no recommendation to even try to have Permai to be mated with again; on that agree about a 100% when it comes to the program's decision making). Permai would now be not too far off from being that, but biologically speaking, she's still just shy of being absolutely infertile.

 

[Swanson02]

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.

 

[Zoofan15]

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.

Thanks @Swanson02, it would be great to get any updates on Monarto’s breeding plans.

It could well be the case they intend to attempt breeding with Tang Mo. Although her narrow reproductive tract made natural breeding uncomfortable for her, I haven’t heard an anatomical cause identified for her inability to carry a calf to term. Her reluctance to allow Gung to mate her naturally was circumnavigated by AI and if it was a hormone imbalance or similar, it’s possible this could be addressed.

Pak Boon’s reproductive window is closing, but I’m hopeful there’s still time for her to conceive eight years on. Dokkoon conceived her third calf without issue seven years after the first.

 

[Johnpaul21]

On a recent bull elephant encounter with Putra Mas I have been told by the Ele keepers themselves that he will not be leaving until late August to early September.

He has just finished musth so they have started the encounters again, and apparently crate training has resumed and being going well so far

 

[Zoofan15]

On a recent bull elephant encounter with Putra Mas I have been told by the Ele keepers themselves that he will not be leaving until late August to early September.

He has just finished musth so they have started the encounters again, and apparently crate training has resumed and being going well so far

Thank you for the confirmation. @Swanson02 was indeed right in his assumption the transfer would be pushed back to later this year, which will enable progress to made on the bull barn and bull yards.

Great to know crate training is progressing well!

 

[Johnpaul21]

I also asked If it had been pushed back because of Putra Mas, It hasn't, He's pretty well ready they're just waiting on progress to be made on the Bull barn but also to let the Taronga girls settle in. They say he has an amazing temperament (Not in musth ofc) for a Bull which is promising
And so when they tried breeding him and Permai it wasn't him that was the issue, it was Permai.

They also said only Pak Boon will be breeding but it's quite unlikely so there's a possibility they may AI other females in the region and if they're males, send them to be with their dad, Putra for a bit of role modeling etc as they reckon he'll make a great dad and it would good for him too.

But for now regular training and lots of snacks is all he needs as Permai leaving hasn't really affected him

 

[Zoofan15]

I also asked If it had been pushed back because of Putra Mas, It hasn't, He's pretty well ready they're just waiting on progress to be made on the Bull barn but also to let the Taronga girls settle in. They say he has an amazing temperament (Not in musth ofc) for a Bull which is promising
And so when they tried breeding him and Permai it wasn't him that was the issue, it was Permai.

They also said only Pak Boon will be breeding but it's quite unlikely so there's a possibility they may AI other females in the region and if they're males, send them to be with their dad, Putra for a bit of role modeling etc as they reckon he'll make a great dad and it would good for him too.

But for now regular training and lots of snacks is all he needs as Permai leaving hasn't really affected him

View attachment 791583

That’s really exciting to hear that Monarto will be attempting to breed from Pak Boon. It’s pushing eight years since she last had a calf, but there’s certainly hope she’ll still be able to conceive.

That’s also interesting to hear they’ll consider undertaking AI within the region. Presumably this would be with the Werribee cows (where Putra Mas’ genes are unrepresented in their herd); but it could offer a solution to Dubbo’s reluctance to breed from Porntip again if they have assurance a bull calf could be placed elsewhere (i.e. at Monarto). I wonder if Werribee would even consider Putra Mas siring their next cohort of calves instead of Luk Chai (as was/is planned). It would give them up to six calves all close in age (within five years) from a variety of lines, including some calves that are unrelated. This was the intention of the Taronga trio (re. using Bong Su as an AI donor).

 

[steveroberts]

I also asked If it had been pushed back because of Putra Mas, It hasn't, He's pretty well ready they're just waiting on progress to be made on the Bull barn but also to let the Taronga girls settle in. They say he has an amazing temperament (Not in musth ofc) for a Bull which is promising
And so when they tried breeding him and Permai it wasn't him that was the issue, it was Permai.

They also said only Pak Boon will be breeding but it's quite unlikely so there's a possibility they may AI other females in the region and if they're males, send them to be with their dad, Putra for a bit of role modeling etc as they reckon he'll make a great dad and it would good for him too.

But for now regular training and lots of snacks is all he needs as Permai leaving hasn't really affected him

View attachment 791583

Great photos again. He seems like such a great guy that keeper, first saw him interviewed in relation to Tricia getting old and time to be humanely put to sleep, and of course him with the team in all the footage of Permai's move to Monarto. All the elephant team at Perth Zoo seem like such awesome legends, and he's one of them.

 

[Johnpaul21]

Yeah great keeper and he is the only keeper in the whole Zoo that can interact with Putra Mas.... He was giving him hugs kisses and throwing food in his mouth but the other keepers cant even touch him, they have to stand and arms length away from his trunk and through the food so it's amazing to see the special bond the two had. He said he will go over for a bit as both elephants both trust him the most out of the ele team but then will return when they settle in.

 

[Jambo]

Update on Pak Boon and Tang Mo:

Via email;

Monarto Safari Park’s newest residents are settling into their new 12-hectare Asian Elephant habitat. Tang Mo and Pak Boon arrived last week after a 22-hour journey from Taronga Zoo in Sydney and are now familiarising themselves with their new home and herd.

Keepers this week introduced the pair to the cloverleaf habitat, where lucky visitors were able to see the girls up close for the first time! Introductions between Tang Mo, Pak Boon, Burma and Permai continue, with the team of dedicated keepers from Monarto Safari Park, Perth Zoo and Taronga Zoo all supporting the herd to build their companionship and trust over time.

Link to video of them in their new enclosure: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XEFz4BVw0wc

 

[Zoofan15]

Update on Pak Boon and Tang Mo:

Via email;

Monarto Safari Park’s newest residents are settling into their new 12-hectare Asian Elephant habitat. Tang Mo and Pak Boon arrived last week after a 22-hour journey from Taronga Zoo in Sydney and are now familiarising themselves with their new home and herd.

Keepers this week introduced the pair to the cloverleaf habitat, where lucky visitors were able to see the girls up close for the first time! Introductions between Tang Mo, Pak Boon, Burma and Permai continue, with the team of dedicated keepers from Monarto Safari Park, Perth Zoo and Taronga Zoo all supporting the herd to build their companionship and trust over time.

Link to video of them in their new enclosure: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XEFz4BVw0wc

It’s interesting to note the difference between the elephants in exploring their new habitat - Burma, venturing out with the guidance of her keepers; Permai taking a long time to venture out on her own; Pak Boon and Tang Mo, confident and curious about their new surroundings.

It’s easy to attribute these variances to their demographics and backgrounds; but it’s clear the mutual support the Taronga cows have given each other have been of immense benefit - as we’ve recently observed with the Melbourne herd transferring to Werribee.

While keepers do their upmost to provide for the elephants in their care, they’re the first to admit nothing can replace the value the companionship of their own species brings to their lives.