I believe it has. @Swanson02 estimated it was at least six months away from completion in May 2025 and with Putra Mas arriving circa November this year, I’d assume it’s not far away from being complete.
Monarto Safari Park Monarto Safari Park News 2025
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I believe it has. @Swanson02 estimated it was at least six months away from completion in May 2025 and with Putra Mas arriving circa November this year, I’d assume it’s not far away from being complete.
Putra Mas scheduled to arrive early November:
Perth Zoo have made a comment on one of their posts this evening advising they’re working towards transferring Putra Mas in early November (all going to plan).
Swanson02
Well-Known Member
Area 4 is in use, the elephants have access to 3 areas now. Area 4 is where Burma spends most of her time as far as I'm aware
I hope they will record and show his move on the tv!
The coverage of the previous four elephants arriving (especially Permai) was excellent - so I’m expecting similar updates from the time throughout the road trip to Monarto.
In terms of media coverage, it’s the fifth and final elephant and the only bull (with impressive tusks), so I’m expecting a fair bit of interest there too.
hopefully they will put it online and show the introductions to the cows!
Zoos SA have been more restricted with what they’ve shown in regards to introductions. There was some initial content of Burma and Permai intertwining trunks (assessed by most of us to be as much around testing each other’s strength); but then not a lot since then bar the occasional post. Presumably because the introductions are progressing so slowly they don’t feel there’s anything of significance to show.
At a minimum, I’d expect coverage of Permai reacting to Putra Mas’ arrival; but I’d be particularly interested to see Burma’s reaction as she hadn’t seen a bull at least since she came to New Zealand as an eight year old in 1990.
Burma probably would be overwhelmed. I am especially interested in Permai. Hopefully it will all be positive.
I anticipate it’ll be a positive experience for all four cows having a bull arrive on site. There’s been many instances across the region of cows of varied social backgrounds being highly receptive to both bulls and calves.
In the case of Pak Boon and Tang Mo, they’re both well socialised cows, who I anticipate will be especially excited to welcome a bull. If the then 12 year old Luk Chai generated excitement upon his arrival at Melbourne in 2020, imagine how a fully mature bull like Putra Mas will be received.
My main concern is first how he is going to handle the crate and the trip to Monarto and once there how he is going to adjust to a brand new place to live hopefully he can settle quickly
Getting him to Monarto certainly won’t be easy. Fingers crossed the months of crate training pays off. I’m glad to hear they plan to transfer him in early November. That gives them the rest of that month and most of December as a contingency before he heads into his 2026 musth cycle.
Once on site at Monarto, I don’t anticipate any issues with adjusting. He won’t have to navigate the social complexities of the matriachal herd and as a bull, isn’t reliant on the support system a cow would be. Since the age of three, he’s lived at Perth, but the new features (especially the pools) will hopefully prove invigorating, rather than intimidating.
I believe
I believe it may come down to the bond with his main keeper on how he handles the transfer I hope it goes smoothly
I hope so too. It’s been a long time in the planning and any delays (or the non-arrival) of Putra Mas would severely impede Pak Boon’s chances of breeding.
It’d be interesting to know what back up plan (if any) they have with regards to this i.e. whether they’d undertake AI (which Pak Boon has not been conditioned for to my knowledge); whether they’d bring in another bull (Pathi Harn is really the only candidate at this point); or whether they’d cut their losses and plan for the future in acquiring bachelor bulls long term. To be blunt, they still have four cows that aren’t sharing a paddock yet.
Let’s just hope Putra Mas does everyone a favour (including himself) and enters the crate as planned. Perth offer him first rate care, but his life at Monarto would be even more enriching.
Hopefully he is moved at the beginning of November before it gets any hotter here!
I think things will go as planned, just hope I'm right.
About for Hogmanay .... bloody in time!
A recent video that I saw of him entering the crate at a relaxed gait has given me confidence that you are right.
Staff at Perth have done an amazing job with him if that is anything to go by.
All the elephant moves I've followed seem to have gone without a hitch, as the preparations have always been so careful and thorough. The four females at Twycross in the UK who moved a few years ago to Blackpool Zoo were a case in point. They brought in a specialist Elephant expert in transportation as adviser. Months of crate training took place and (I think) because there were only two transport crates available the moves were staggered with one pair moving some weeks or months before the others. They were cows admittedly, but bulls seem to move zoos without problem too. Nothing like the distance from Perth to Monarto obviously, but still...