Move of Perth Zoo's last elephant Putra Mas to SA's Monarto Safari Park delayed

Australia Broadcast Center

27-07-2025

The scheduled move of Perth Zoo's last elephant to South Australia has been delayed, as its new home Monarto Safari Park works to integrate the four females that arrived earlier this year.
The zoo had planned for male elephant Putra Mas to leave in June or July, but the Asian elephant will remain in Perth until later in the year.
"[Monarto] is still managing the introductions of the females," Perth Zoo's Acting Director of Life Sciences John Lemon said.
"They are still undertaking fence-line contact and trying to get those four animals to be a working herd, or at least share the same habitat."
Perth Zoo farewelled its female elephant Permai in January, who joined Burma from Auckland Zoo at Monarto.
Two other females moved from Taronga Zoo shortly after.
Putra Mas was expected to follow after going through must — a periodic, hormonal condition which can result in aggressive behaviour.
Delayed works on the habitat required before Putra Mas arrives is contributing to the postponement, though Mr Lemon is confident the male will be in South Australia by the end of the year.
"We're just on elephant time," he said.
"There's still the introductions, they won't hold us up, if they're not together we'll still look at moving our boy, but there is also some facility works that need to be finished.
"[Putra Mas] has progressed really well with his crate training here. The bespoke crate's been finished for some time, so it's ready to roll.
"So it's just waiting for all of those things to come together and we'll set a date and move."
Perth Zoo was expecting to add two southern white rhinos this year, but health concerns over the incoming pair means that plan isn't going ahead.
"The female rhinos that were being considered for transfer to Perth Zoo have had a couple of unexpected health issues," Mr Lemon said.
"They are no longer suitable for road or flight transport. From a health point of view they need to stay at Werribee's Open Range Zoo."
The arrival of the rhinos was to coincide with the departure of male Bakari who was slated to be part of the regional breeding program.
He'll instead remain in Perth while other breeding options are explored.
"There is quite a lot of science that goes into...what his genetics can contribute to the regional program, so we need to look what are the best options for him moving forward," Mr Lemon said.
Despite the delayed move for Putra Mas, plans for a 30-million dollar upgrade to the African Savanna were going ahead.
"We still have grand plans for that, but (the delayed move) is not holding it up at all and won't affect the timing of that," Mr Lemon said.
The zoo has undergone extensive construction in recent years, with a new gibbon enclosure recently opened to patrons.