Monarto Safari Park Monarto Safari Park News 2025
- Thread starter Luke899
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Elephant introductions take time - so patience is key.
I'm sure Monarto will provide an update when there's progress in the current introductions - introducing Burma to Permai or the two Taronga cows should be the next logical step; and that will only be done once keepers are entirely comfortable both sides are ready for that.
Elephant introductions take time - so patience is key.
I'm sure Monarto will provide an update when there's progress in the current introductions - introducing Burma to Permai or the two Taronga cows should be the next logical step; and that will only be done once keepers are entirely comfortable both sides are ready for that.
I feel like achieving an introduction of Burma to Pak Boon and Tang Mo is the best course of action. Integrating Permai first would isolate Burma (the intended matriarch) from the proceedings, which isn’t ideal. The herd needs to be built around Burma first and foremost. Ideally this would have been integrating Burma/Permai and then going from there, but clearly that hasn’t worked.
Permai has struggled in a one on one relationship with Burma, but introducing her to three cows could well prove beneficial. She could be more motivated to assimilate into their herd if the other three are having positive interactions and she’s stood on the sidelines; and with four cows in the herd, she won’t be the sole focus of any of the elephants as she was in a one on one intro.
I was also more referring to the actual exhibit/complex to what stage they may have reached in the construction so far, I believe one of our members had mentioned they were due for a visit in the near future!Elephant introductions take time - so patience is key.
I'm sure Monarto will provide an update when there's progress in the current introductions - introducing Burma to Permai or the two Taronga cows should be the next logical step; and that will only be done once keepers are entirely comfortable both sides are ready for that.
@Swanson02 noted he plans to visit late June. He may be able to provide us with an update on construction progress and elephant introductions. I’d also be interested to know about breeding plans (specifically contingencies if Putra Mas/Pak Boon don’t breed naturally).
@Sunbear12 visited in May and reported that only the fidget spinner paddock (Area 1) was fully completed/in use by the elephants:
Updates on Area 2-5 (written by @Sunbear12):
Attachments
I am also interested in how the new elephant bridge will look (Werribee style) I expect the concrete pool and new barn the take the longest to construct followed by the fencing and steel gates. This is going to be a whole new ballgame for ZoosSA having for the first time 5 adult elephants including a mature bull to cater too. I look forward with interest more than anything else in seeing how Putra Mas handles the move followed by meeting the 4 cows one of course he knows already, Perhaps most interesting for myself is seeing how he interacts with his new surroundings also if he will adapt with or without his own keeper who he responds too.
It’ll be fascinating to see Putra Mas’ reactions to the Monarto complex. Like Permai, he arrived at Perth Zoo as a three year old and therefore the Monarto complex will be on a scale he likely has no memory of seeing before.
Monarto’s keepers noted the difference in engagement between Pak Boon and Tang Mo with their new exhibit (in particular the water hole) versus the more cautious approach of Burma and Permai. Pak Boon and Tang Mo have each other for support, which has surely made them more confident; as well as being younger.
An interesting comparison will be Putra Mas’ level of confidence compared to Luk Chai at Werribee. Werribee is the fourth home of Luk Chai, who turns 16 years old next month. He’s been fully engaged with his new surroundings; whereas Putra Mas is 36 years old and while he lived adjacent to Permai, has never met the other three cows before.
Swanson02
Well-Known Member
I'm heading to Monarto hopefully on the 1/07/25
Chad the African lion had died:
Some sad news from Monarto’s socials:
Zoos SA is heartbroken to share the passing of Chad, a much-loved lion at Monarto Safari Park.
At three and a half years old, Chad’s loss is sudden and deeply saddening. On Monday, his dedicated keepers noticed he wasn’t himself and he was brought into the night yards for observation. Veterinary testing revealed he was suffering from renal failure.
Despite swift action and expert care, Chad’s condition deteriorated. On Tuesday morning, after thorough assessment, the difficult decision was made to let Chad peacefully go to sleep.
These moments are never easy. But our duty of care is always to provide the very best welfare for the animals we’re privileged to care for and sometimes that means making the hardest, most compassionate choice.
Born at Monarto Safari Park in 2022, Chad was one of three cubs welcomed by lioness Husani. He was bold, curious and full of character, a favourite among keepers and a joy to all who visited.
Some sad news from Monarto’s socials:
Zoos SA is heartbroken to share the passing of Chad, a much-loved lion at Monarto Safari Park.
At three and a half years old, Chad’s loss is sudden and deeply saddening. On Monday, his dedicated keepers noticed he wasn’t himself and he was brought into the night yards for observation. Veterinary testing revealed he was suffering from renal failure.
Despite swift action and expert care, Chad’s condition deteriorated. On Tuesday morning, after thorough assessment, the difficult decision was made to let Chad peacefully go to sleep.
These moments are never easy. But our duty of care is always to provide the very best welfare for the animals we’re privileged to care for and sometimes that means making the hardest, most compassionate choice.
Born at Monarto Safari Park in 2022, Chad was one of three cubs welcomed by lioness Husani. He was bold, curious and full of character, a favourite among keepers and a joy to all who visited.
Perhaps you could ask if one of the new imported French Hippo bulls will be sent on to Monarto once it completes Quarantine?
Yes please!
An updates on whether Savannah or Carrie (female Southern white rhinoceros) are pregnant?
Will Monarto switch to AI if breeding Asian elephants Putra Mas and Pak Boon is unsuccessful?
I recall last time you was advised by a rhino keeper that Tang Mo (Asian elephant) would be given the opportunity to breed; but we suspected this was incorrect due to her being a non-viable breeder. Confirmation from the elephant keepers would be appreciated.
Are the female chimpanzees all still on contraception? I’m hopeful Galatea at least will be coming off contraception soon (and possibly Lani).
Yep!
- Would be first and foremost good to get an update on the elephant introductions; what the plan is moving forward and how the elephants are settling in.
- Also would be good to get a timeline on Putra Mas's arrival, and confirmation on whether they intend to breed him with Pak Boon upon her arrival (AI included).
- What groupings are the Lions currently in? And is there plans to reintegrate any of the groups and/or perhaps acquire some new males to breed?
- How many Zebras does the zoo have currently?
- Is there plans to acquire a female Black Rhino from Dubbo to pair with their current bull?
- And would also be nice to get confirmation on whether Monarto intend to acquire one of Werribee's two Hippo bulls that they're importing down the line.
Yes Thanks!
Would you ask if one of the French Hippos that are being imported will be moved on to Monarto zoo.
What number of hippos can they hold with the current number of yards!
Are there any plans to import any new species of antelopes for the new "Wild Africa"!
Do they have an expected completion date for the new elephant complex!
Are they looking at any import for a female Black rhino!
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Another lion question:
I would also be interested to know what the long term plan is for Bahati (22 month old male), who as of March 2025 was housed with the main pride. Unless they want to have all eight lionesses in this pride on contraception, they’ll need to vasectomise/castrate him; or remove him from the pride.
Bahati would be an obvious candidate for pairing with a lioness at another zoo; or alternatively, they could seperate him off with the three older lionesses and bring in new males to head up the main pride, which currently contains five young lionesses. To a point I guess it depends on Monarto’s willingness to run a fourth pride.
1.0 Kashka (20/10/2015) Johari x Nilo
1.0 Kito (20/10/2015) Johari x Nilo
1.0 Kubwa (20/10/2015) Johari x Nilo
0.1 Husani (24/04/2013) Leroy x Tiombe
0.1 Nia (24/04/2013) Leroy x Tiombe
0.1 Makena (18/06/2013) Leroy x Kiamba
0.1 Adira (16/02/2020) UNK/MULT x Husani
0.1 Malika (24/01/2022) UNK/MULT x Husani
1.0 Bahati (30/08/2023) UNK/MULT x Husani
0.1 Mshindi (30/08/2023) UNK/MULT x Husani
0.1 Lela (30/08/2023) UNK/MULT x Husani
0.1 Kadija (30/08/2023) UNK/MULT x Husani
1.0 Ruka (24/01/2022) UNK/MULT x Husani
0.1 Chikondi (16/02/2020) UNK/MULT x Husani
0.1 Zahara (16/02/2020) UNK/MULT x Husani
Swanson02
Well-Known Member
Monarto Safari Park Visit – July 1, 2025
Visited Monarto yesterday – sunny but cold! While I didn’t get all the info I was hoping for, I managed to have some great chats with keepers throughout the day. As always, a Chimpanzee keeper on their viewing platform was the most accessible for a chat. I also managed to speak with a white rhino keeper during the talk and a Cheetah keeper, all 3 were very helpful and kind! The park is also starting to green up again, too, after recent winter rains.
Here’s what I found out:
News on Werribee's planned import of two bull hippos from France, and whether one is headed for Monarto?
Visited Monarto yesterday – sunny but cold! While I didn’t get all the info I was hoping for, I managed to have some great chats with keepers throughout the day. As always, a Chimpanzee keeper on their viewing platform was the most accessible for a chat. I also managed to speak with a white rhino keeper during the talk and a Cheetah keeper, all 3 were very helpful and kind! The park is also starting to green up again, too, after recent winter rains.
Here’s what I found out:
News on Werribee's planned import of two bull hippos from France, and whether one is headed for Monarto?
- No information, the rhino keeper I talked to was unaware of this import, and any of Monarto's plans for a bull Hippo. Maybe indicating that neither of these individuals is headed for Monarto? Or maybe he was just out of that particular loop?
- Neither female is currently pregnant to the keepers' knowledge following a check-up a month ago.
- I was told that Savannah had conceived previously but sadly miscarried at a few months. She's now on a restrictive diet as the Lucerne-rich feed (meant for other cohabiting species) caused her to put on too much weight, making it hard for Ibutho to mount her. The keeper noted that she's already a very large female, equivalent in size to most small bulls (i.e., Hamilton's bunch)
- Carrie’s hymen remains unbroken. Although Ibutho has been seen mounting both cows, he’s evidently missing the mark and struggling with mating.
- The keeper seemed confident that things were heading in the right direction, however
- Umfana (who is also slightly overweight) is currently being crate-trained and will be moved over to Wild Africa in the next few months to act as a stimulant bull for Ibutho. In hopes of getting things moving
- Big news (Unsure if this has been mentioned on Zoochat before): Three white rhinos are being imported from the UK and will arrive at Monarto soonish (6 months to a year?) for quarantine before being relocated to other facilities across Australia and New Zealand.
- I was once again told that Monarto is still waiting on the completion of a third Black Rhino yard/enclosure before receiving females (I refer to my previous Monarto news post on the 31/01/25 for this). This will be after the elephants are completed.
- I was told that it is more likely that Dubbo sends over a pair of cows rather than just one.
- The keeper also confirmed that Sentwali has been seen mounting two cows at Dubbo, and one of the few reasons he was chosen over Induna for the move was due to his sensitivity to construction noise from the elephant development.
- I can confirm no full introductions have occurred yet.
- Burma, however, has daily through-the-fence contact with the Taronga girls. Her barn stall is also next to theirs, so contact also occurs during the night.
- No confirmations, but I've uploaded some pictures; based on what I saw personally as a civil engineer by trade, I’d estimate completion would be around mid-next year.
- The elephants also now have access to two areas, Area 1 and Area 4. Burma spent the day in the partially hidden Area 4 (Permai was unseen, I assume she spends a lot of time in the barn), and it was stated by a volunteer that the cloverleaf yard will be mainly Putra Mas’ area, once the complex is completed.
- Pak Boon and Tang Mo are settling in especially well, so I hope the plans are to breed Pak Boon with Putra Mas immediately once he is on site.
- A personal observation, but right now I find the exhibit rather ugly. It is a bit of a Dust Bowl, and the loose rock barriers on the ground surrounding the trees are not to my taste. I also imagine that these rocks aren't 'calf proof' as they seem like more of a tool to prevent adult elephants rather than lighter, more nimble calves.
- I was given no updates today, unfortunately. Mainly because I was unable to get to chat with any elephant keepers. Since there is no elephant keeper talk yet it's really hard to grab a hold of any of them for a chat
- All females are still on contraception.
- No new outstanding alpha has been selected since Tsotsi’s death (going on 2 years now), but Enzi is starting to engage in politics. He’s now 22 kg heavier than the next heaviest male (Sandali/Gombe), but the females still don’t quite respect him due to his immaturity.
- From my observations, Boyd and Gombe seem to have formed a tentative alpha coalition, but the keeper mentioned there still has been lots of fighting.
- The chimp keeper (same one I talked to last time) once again speculated that Galatea has endometriosis and a very swollen reproductive region, which may have been complicating her births, but she is still recommended to breed again. They are just giving her time to recuperate.
- She mentioned Lani is still likely a year or two away from being put in a breeding situation.
- I estimate between 19 and 23 – no definitive count was given by a park source.
- The main pride of 9 are still all housed together, the Cheetah keeper was unaware of the Carnivore teams plans for Bahati (Cheetahs are managed separately at Monarto from the other three carnivore species). She did speculate that he could be introduced to Ruka and his sister?
- I was told that three giraffes are confirmed to be pregnant and are expecting sometime in the spring.
Thanks a lot for everything you was able to find out - a really interesting read!
This is very exciting (and breaking news)!
I had been wondering whether the region would be looking at importing Southern white rhinoceros in Europe as they’ve been preparing for a while now for the import of 35 Southern white rhinoceros from South Africa, that appears will no longer be going ahead.
I’m very excited at least one will be then coming to New Zealand. I would speculate it’s a bull for Orana Wildlife Park as they intended to acquire a bull from Hamilton Zoo recently, who will now no longer be going.
Boyd has always been a highly ambitious male and has previously held the alpha position. It comes as no surprise he’s seeking to form a coalition with his son, Gombe, with whom she shares a strong bond since their Wellington days.
Enzi is in a similar position to Fumo at Taronga. I have no doubt within the next five years he’ll make a successful bid for alpha, surely with Zombi’s backing.
It would be a challenge to integrate Ruka and Bahati, but not necessarily an impossibility.
That’s encouraging to hear nonetheless that Savannah conceived, albeit miscarried. I was getting concerned given she’s 14 years old now (females can conceive as young as 4-5 years).
Savannah’s size comes from her sire Kruger. Hamilton’s original breeding bull (Zambezi) and her mother (Caballe) are both small rhinos.
Unless one of the bulls is to go to Dubbo, it appears Werribee will be retaining both for the foreseeable. It’ll be interesting to see if this takes the form of them forming two 1.1 pairs; or more likely, the second bull is a back up in case the other dies. Relying on small numbers of bulls hasn’t worked out well previously!
This is very exciting (and breaking news)!
I had been wondering whether the region would be looking at importing Southern white rhinoceros in Europe as they’ve been preparing for a while now for the import of 35 Southern white rhinoceros from South Africa, that appears will no longer be going ahead.
I’m very excited at least one will be then coming to New Zealand. I would speculate it’s a bull for Orana Wildlife Park as they intended to acquire a bull from Hamilton Zoo recently, who will now no longer be going.
Boyd has always been a highly ambitious male and has previously held the alpha position. It comes as no surprise he’s seeking to form a coalition with his son, Gombe, with whom she shares a strong bond since their Wellington days.
Enzi is in a similar position to Fumo at Taronga. I have no doubt within the next five years he’ll make a successful bid for alpha, surely with Zombi’s backing.
It would be a challenge to integrate Ruka and Bahati, but not necessarily an impossibility.
That’s encouraging to hear nonetheless that Savannah conceived, albeit miscarried. I was getting concerned given she’s 14 years old now (females can conceive as young as 4-5 years).
Savannah’s size comes from her sire Kruger. Hamilton’s original breeding bull (Zambezi) and her mother (Caballe) are both small rhinos.
Unless one of the bulls is to go to Dubbo, it appears Werribee will be retaining both for the foreseeable. It’ll be interesting to see if this takes the form of them forming two 1.1 pairs; or more likely, the second bull is a back up in case the other dies. Relying on small numbers of bulls hasn’t worked out well previously!
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Thanks for the updates @Swanson02!Monarto Safari Park Visit – July 1, 2025
Visited Monarto yesterday – sunny but cold! While I didn’t get all the info I was hoping for, I managed to have some great chats with keepers throughout the day. As always, a Chimpanzee keeper on their viewing platform was the most accessible for a chat. I also managed to speak with a white rhino keeper during the talk and a Cheetah keeper, all 3 were very helpful and kind! The park is also starting to green up again, too, after recent winter rains.
Here’s what I found out:
News on Werribee's planned import of two bull hippos from France, and whether one is headed for Monarto?
Any updates on Savannah and Carrie's potential pregnancies?
- No information, the rhino keeper I talked to was unaware of this import, and any of Monarto's plans for a bull Hippo. Maybe indicating that neither of these individuals is headed for Monarto? Or maybe he was just out of that particular loop?
Other White rhino updates:
- Neither female is currently pregnant to the keepers' knowledge following a check-up a month ago.
- I was told that Savannah had conceived previously but sadly miscarried at a few months. She's now on a restrictive diet as the Lucerne-rich feed (meant for other cohabiting species) caused her to put on too much weight, making it hard for Ibutho to mount her. The keeper noted that she's already a very large female, equivalent in size to most small bulls (i.e., Hamilton's bunch)
- Carrie’s hymen remains unbroken. Although Ibutho has been seen mounting both cows, he’s evidently missing the mark and struggling with mating.
- The keeper seemed confident that things were heading in the right direction, however
Any updates on a female black rhino arrival?
- Umfana (who is also slightly overweight) is currently being crate-trained and will be moved over to Wild Africa in the next few months to act as a stimulant bull for Ibutho. In hopes of getting things moving
- Big news (Unsure if this has been mentioned on Zoochat before): Three white rhinos are being imported from the UK and will arrive at Monarto soonish (6 months to a year?) for quarantine before being relocated to other facilities across Australia and New Zealand.
Any general news on Elephant introductions?
- I was once again told that Monarto is still waiting on the completion of a third Black Rhino yard/enclosure before receiving females (I refer to my previous Monarto news post on the 31/01/25 for this). This will be after the elephants are completed.
- I was told that it is more likely that Dubbo sends over a pair of cows rather than just one.
- The keeper also confirmed that Sentwali has been seen mounting two cows at Dubbo, and one of the few reasons he was chosen over Induna for the move was due to his sensitivity to construction noise from the elephant development.
Elephant Complex completion date?
- I can confirm no full introductions have occurred yet.
- Burma, however, has daily through-the-fence contact with the Taronga girls. Her barn stall is also next to theirs, so contact also occurs during the night.
Breeding from Putra Mas or Pak Boon?
- No confirmations, but I've uploaded some pictures; based on what I saw personally as a civil engineer by trade, I’d estimate completion would be around mid-next year.
- The elephants also now have access to two areas, Area 1 and Area 4. Burma spent the day in the partially hidden Area 4 (Permai was unseen, I assume she spends a lot of time in the barn), and it was stated by a volunteer that the cloverleaf yard will be mainly Putra Mas’ area, once the complex is completed.
- Pak Boon and Tang Mo are settling in especially well, so I hope the plans are to breed Pak Boon with Putra Mas immediately once he is on site.
- A personal observation, but right now I find the exhibit rather ugly. It is a bit of a Dust Bowl, and the loose rock barriers on the ground surrounding the trees are not to my taste. I also imagine that these rocks aren't 'calf proof' as they seem like more of a tool to prevent adult elephants rather than lighter, more nimble calves.
Are the chimpanzees Galatea or Lani still on contraception?
- I was given no updates today, unfortunately. Mainly because I was unable to get to chat with any elephant keepers. Since there is no elephant keeper talk yet it's really hard to grab a hold of any of them for a chat
Zebra numbers?
- All females are still on contraception.
- No new outstanding alpha has been selected since Tsotsi’s death (going on 2 years now), but Enzi is starting to engage in politics. He’s now 22 kg heavier than the next heaviest male (Sandali/Gombe), but the females still don’t quite respect him due to his immaturity.
- From my observations, Boyd and Gombe seem to have formed a tentative alpha coalition, but the keeper mentioned there still has been lots of fighting.
- The chimp keeper (same one I talked to last time) once again speculated that Galatea has endometriosis and a very swollen reproductive region, which may have been complicating her births, but she is still recommended to breed again. They are just giving her time to recuperate.
- She mentioned Lani is still likely a year or two away from being put in a breeding situation.
Plans for Bahati the lion?
- I estimate between 19 and 23 – no definitive count was given by a park source.
Other news:
- The main pride of 9 are still all housed together, the Cheetah keeper was unaware of the Carnivore teams plans for Bahati (Cheetahs are managed separately at Monarto from the other three carnivore species). She did speculate that he could be introduced to Ruka and his sister?
Anyway I had a great little visit, now onto Auckland Zoo next week!!!
- I was told that three giraffes are confirmed to be pregnant and are expecting sometime in the spring.
That's exciting to hear re. the White Rhino import. The United Kingdom has had great breeding success in the last decade or so, so there's certainly a multitude of options. I'd imagine all three would be coming from different facilities for the sake of genetics.
It's also interesting to hear that there will only be three arriving, and that they'll be distributed amongst Australian zoos (rather than all remaining at Monarto). That gives me the impression they might be three bulls; but there's still the need for more viable cows regionally - so I'm hoping it will be three cows distributed across zoos regionally for the best chances of breeding success. Werribee and Dubbo desperately need additional cows.
Also interesting to hear about the Black Rhinos - the two females Sentwali has been paired with should be Bakhita (2002) and her daughter, Kufara (2010). In the event two females are transferred out down the line, Bakhita and her youngest daughter, Sabi, would be prime candidates.
With the Chimps, it seems like there's just giving the group time to settle before taking the females off contraception. Boyd's always been quite an ambitious male, but now approaching his 50's, it's obvious that he no longer has the motor to achieve such a role anymore. His son, Gombe, has always been a bit aloof, but is much younger and the pair together obviously stand a formidable force against Sandali who isn't the sharpest tool in the shed either. Enzi will soon be ten, so he should be moving into a more higher ranking role in the coming years. Sule at Taronga achieved the role of alpha male in their community at the age of 13.
Thanks for asking about the zebras too - did you notice any foals?
Unrelated adults have been introduced in the past in the US with success, so it's quite possible Monarto will be able to achieve a re-introduction between the two brothers. I do think that would be their best bet, as Bahati doesn't have much value breeding wise.
Boyd is an interesting case as most alpha male chimpanzees (tyrants excluded) reach their senior years and are happy to concede the alpha role to a young male, almost like they’re happy to relinquish the responsibility. This wasn’t the case for Boyd, who was dethroned by his younger brother Marty at Wellington, making him an ideal candidate for relocation to Monarto. It seems his ambition remains strong, despite his advanced age.
Gombe is a popular male and good with the infants; but ultimately I’m predicting a period of no defined alpha until Enzi has the support to take over.