Perth Zoo’s Permai the elephant set to move due to loneliness

One of Perth Zoo's beloved elephants is leaving much sooner than originally planned after showing signs of loneliness.

Transcript

00:00A bittersweet day for Perth Zoo, announcing its female Asian elephant Pumai will leave

00:07in January, around six months earlier than expected.

00:13Pumai is moving to Monato Safari Park in Adelaide, where she will be part of a new herd.

00:18The zoo convinced now is the time to move her.

00:21She's been alone since the death of matriarch Tricia in 2022.

00:27She was everything to Pumai and she has been, you know, depressed and obviously a little

00:32bit anxious without her.

00:34We can only give her a certain amount of stimulation that is being part of her herd, but she needs

00:39other elephants.

00:41She'll join Burma, another female which recently moved from Auckland and will eventually be

00:46joined by male Putramas when he leaves Perth later in 2025.

00:51It will mark a big change for the zoo, but patrons are understanding of the decision.

00:55Because then it's going to have some new space.

01:00The elephants are a big draw, but I think it's probably good for the elephants to go

01:03to better space and bigger space.

01:05Pumai will travel by truck in a specially constructed air-conditioned crate.

01:10The trip across the Nullarbor is around 36 hours and that'll be non-stop, only stopping

01:14for fuel and obviously, you know, watching her the whole way.

01:19Oh, you're so clever.

01:23While time is running out to see Pumai, there is a special opportunity on Sunday.

01:27Her and Putramas will celebrate their 35th birthdays, their last ones before they depart

01:32for South Australia and their forever home.