13 Nov 2024

Auckland Zoo's elephant Burma relocating to Australia

From Checkpoint, 4:46 pm on 13 November 2024

Burma the elephant is unpacking her trunk after arriving in Australia following an epic journey across the ditch to her new home near Adelaide. The 42 year old Asian elephant had been on her own at Auckland Zoo for more than two years after her buddy Anjalee moved to Sydney to be part of a breeding progamme. Elephants are super social creatures and need company, so the decision was made to move Burma to Monarto Safari Park where she'll form a herd with four other jumbo friends in a 12 hectare elephant habitat. Burma's the first to arrive after flying out on Tuesday with a vet and her keeper, to help her settle in. Auckland Zoo director Kevin Buley spoke to Lisa Owen.