ANIMALS ON THE MOVE

Many elephants person called Perth Zoo location complete nan past 50 years. But by mid-2025, nan 2 resident elephants, Permai and Putras Mas, will move to Monarto Safari Park successful South Australia.

Their relocation will return them to a larger enclosure and much elephant friends. Perth Zoo is presently preparing to make their travel arsenic soft arsenic possible.

Melbourne Zoo is preparing to move its Asian elephant herd to Werribee Open Range Zoo for nan aforesaid reasons. 

A cross-country thrust pinch ample exotic cargo successful tow presents galore unsocial challenges.

ANIMAL WELFARE IS KEY

While our elephants won’t beryllium connected nan move for a fewer months, it’s important to their wellness and wellbeing that they’re adequately prepared for their journey.

John Lemon is nan Director of Life Sciences astatine Perth Zoo.

He says their use is apical privilege – and there’s a fewer ways to guarantee they recreation arsenic good arsenic possible.

“It’s each astir communal spot and building up bonds and utilizing peculiar training cues and treats to get them comfortable,” says John.

“Similar point if you move a feline aliases canine crossed nan country. You would put them successful nan crate and get them comfortable, springiness them immoderate treats that they really like.”

Caption: One of nan crates designed for elephant transportation
Credit: Perth Zoo

TAKING CARE ON THE ROAD

It’s important to hole nan elephants for motor sound and immoderate believe eating wrong their purpose-built recreation crates.

Permai and Putras Mas’s keepers will travel them connected their journey. They will behaviour regular wellness checks and thief them set to their caller life astatine Monarto Safari Park. This includes briefing their caller keepers connected their favourite foods and activities and providing acquainted faces successful a caller place.

Many captive animals are trained successful behaviour that simplifies their care. The elephants person learned to enactment still while nan keepers behaviour beingness checks, which allows their wellness to beryllium assessed without sedation. These beingness checks will beryllium conducted connected their travel to South Australia.

A JUMBO UNDERTAKING

Many logistics travel into play erstwhile transporting animals – particularly ample ones.

John says nan zoo receiving nan animals will mostly screen nan proscription cost. Because Perth is truthful geographically isolated, it tin make importing animals a costly endeavour. 

Perth Zoo’s mini size – 17 hectares – besides prevents nan summation of larger animals that request abstraction to roam. In contrast, Monarto Safari Park totals 1500 hectares.

So why do animals move betwixt zoos? While much abstraction and institution prompted Permai and Putras Mas’s interstate move, animals are often relocated to heighten familial diversity.

Koalas look threats successful their earthy situation owed to ambiance alteration and deforestation. Many Australian zoos participate successful a koala captive breeding program, helping to support and safeguard nan koala population. Koalas person recently been brought to Perth Zoo pinch nan purpose of expanding a patient koala population. 

Caption: One of Perth Zoo’s caller koalas successful quarantine connected presence astatine nan zoo
Credit: Perth Zoo

CHECKS AND BALANCES

Moving animals crossed nan state aliases overseas involves a batch of paperwork.

Zoos wanting to transportation an animal request to use to nan Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry for a permit. The section assesses nan documented plan, reviews nan procedures and grants nan licence if standards are met. 

When moving an Australian animal overseas, nan receiving installation is besides assessed.

Animal imports must beryllium connected nan permitted import list approved by nan Department of Climate Change, Energy, nan Environment and Water. Species connected nan database whitethorn beryllium imported for reasons specified arsenic breeding and exhibitions.

The zoo receiving nan animal is assessed connected its capacity to manage, confine and attraction for nan animals, including gathering behavioural and biologic needs, according to nan department.

A LABOUR OF LOVE

Caption: Permai tries retired nan crate
Credit: Perth Zoo

Once settled into their caller homes, nan authorities government is responsible for ensuring accommodation are good maintained and animals are good cared for.

Some of nan criteria utilized to measure a zoo’s suitability see nan information level, nan enclosure size and suitability, and staffing. For koalas, a facet is whether nan zoo tin supply for their eucalypt-based diet.

Australian zoos stock an online database pinch accusation astir individual animals, which eliminates immoderate of nan guesswork. It includes immoderate wellness issues, ongoing aesculapian treatments and breeding history.

Over nan past fewer decades, our knowing and passion for animal use has evolved. So has nan zoos’ guidance of their animals.

The wellbeing of nan animals is nan priority, pinch captive breeding and conservation arsenic shared goals.