Pack your trunks: Auckland Zoo's mammoth task of moving elephant across the sea

Thursday, 7 April 2022

Getting Auckland Zoo's last elephant, Burma, to Australia is no easy task.

Almost a hundred years since its elephant breeding programme began, Auckland Zoo is preparing for the last of its herd, Burma, to head across the sea to Australia Zoo.

Auckland Zoo’s other elephant, Anjalee, made the move across the ditch earlier this year to Taronga Western Plains Zoo, to be a part of the breeding programme there.

The zoo announced its decision to rehome its elephants in November 2020, saying it wanted to give the animals the “family herd” they need for their long-term wellbeing.

The zoo announced its decision to rehome the elephants back in 2020.

Moving elephants across oceans was no easy task, said Auckland Zoo Director Kevin Buley, with the zoo preparing for the move since the decision was made back in 2020.

**READ MORE:

Anjalee has already left the zoo, leaving just Burma to go.

* Auckland Zoo's elephant Anjalee arrives safely at Australia's Taronga Zoo

* Auckland Zoo's elephants to remain in NZ for longer due to Covid-19 complications

* Auckland Zoo elephants Burma and Anjalee to be rehomed at separate zoos in Australia

Keepers from the zoo will head over with Burma to Australia Zoo to help her settle in.

A one-of-a-kind crate has been made for Burma, to use the maximum amount of space possible in the jumbo jet she will be travelling on.

Burma has been ‘crate training’ for months to make sure she feels comfortable on the flight.

The keepers had been “crate training” Burma for months now, making it her safe space so that no matter where she was on the journey, she would be as comfortable as possible, Buley said.

Bathing in the water, followed by a sand bath, were just what the elephant ordered after some crate training.

Burma’s flight out is expected to be on the night of April 27. She will be loaded up in the evening into the crate, and a crane will then move her onto a truck, which will take her to the airport.

From there she will be put on a flight to Brisbane, with keepers supporting her the whole way over there.

Food treats such as sugar cane, hay and bananas will be used along the way.

On landing, a truck will take her from the airport, to the zoo, where the keepers from Auckland will start the process of getting her used to life at Australia Zoo.

The team would feel an incredible sense of loss, of grieving, as a result of these animals going, Buley said.

“The impact [that sending the elephants away] has had on the team is immense, it’s something that none of us really wanted but as always we are doing the right thing by Burma and Anjalee.”

According to the zoo, it’s difficult to see a path where they would be able to have an elephant herd structure again.

The elephants trips were delayed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic after the trans-Tasman bubble was suspended, but with Anjalee already gone and Burma leaving later in April, the big move will soon be completed.