Two more elephants join former Perth Zoo elephant Permai in South Australia

Former Perth Zoo elephant Permai has two new friends who have just made the journey from Taronga Zoo to their new home in Adelaide.

Asian elephants Tang Mo and Pak Boon arrived at Adelaide’s Monarto Safari Park on Wednesday morning, where they met Permai and Burma.

The pair completed their 22-hour mammoth move overnight, settling into their new home for a well-deserved stretch, bath, and snack after unloading.

The elephants relocated to meet their social needs.

It is hoped the new elephants will bond with Permai, who has been struggling to settle into her new home — so much so, that her and Burma were struggling to get along.

“These guys are going to form another social herd, and so they’re going to get that extra social behaviour that they need,” Taronga Zoo senior elephant keeper Ian Gleichman said.

Permai was moved from Perth Zoo in January following the death of matriarch Tricia in 2022.

Tragically, an elephant never forgets.

And Perth Zoo acting zoology manager Holly Thompson said Tricia’s death had a big impact on Permai, leaving her battling depression.

In March, zookeepers said Permai was still struggling to build a relationship with her enclosure mate but was showing signs of friendship including supporting each other during a storm.

Once her integration is complete, Permai will have as much space in her enclosure as the entirety of Perth Zoo.

It was a long journey to get Permai to her new home, which involved transporting her in a modified sea container across the Nullarbor over two days.

Perth Zoo’s final elephant, Putras Mas, will also be moving to Montaro Park later this year, marking the end of the elephant exhibit in WA.

The moving of Tang Mo and Pak Boon has marked the end of the elephant exhibit at Taronga Zoo with the space set to make way for a multi-species habitat, which will include Hari the greater one-horned rhinoceros.