The elephants are migrating, will you help us pack their trunks?

 

Zoos Victoria’s Asian Elephant herd are packing their trunks.

They're moving to a purpose-built expansive 21-hectare habitat at Werribee Open Range Zoo in 2024.

Before they can make the 35-kilometre migration from Melbourne Zoo, there’s a lot involved to create a positive and safe experience for all. We're sparing no expense to build the herd a home that will ensure world-leading welfare outcomes for their lifetime. Yet, their habitat is only one part of the puzzle.

Many resources and infrastructure is needed to properly care for elephants. Moving the herd to a new home is a complicated and expensive project.

Your help will make all the difference to ensure a safe and smooth transition. 

A growing herd on the move

Werribee Open Range Zoo’s 21-hectare naturalistic setting will provide the highest level of care and welfare. Zoos Victoria’s herd of Asian Elephants has grown with the recent arrival of calves Aiyara, Roi-Yim and Kati.

Have you met them yet?

Meet the Newest Members of the Herd

Aiyara means “Elephant”, a symbol of loyalty, friendliness, good fortune and happiness.

Born: Wednesday 16 November 2022

Aiyara is robust in both personality and build and is proving to be a real water baby. Aiyara is the first born of the recent three calves to Dokkoon and has an adventurous spirit. She is boisterous by nature and is often seen doing her best to encourage her siblings to engage in play.

Roi-Yim means “Smile”.

Born: Friday 25 November 2022

Roi-Yim has the smallest build of the three calves, but has a very long tail. The second born and the only male of the trio, he prefers to stay close to his mother, Mali. Yet, he is gaining confidence by the day and is just starting to engage in gentle play with his sisters.

Kati means “Coconut Milk”, an ingredient commonly used in Thai cooking.

Kati takes after both her parents and is a very tall girl with long legs. Kati was born Sunday 1 January 2023 and her arrival to mother Num-Oi completed our herd.

From early after her birth it was very clear that Kati was a very capable calf and had amazing motor skills. She has been wowing us with her development from day one!

 

Trail of the Elephants Project Officer, Lucy, has dedicated 24 years to learning about the behaviours and social interactions of these graceful animals. Inspired by natural biology, she explains the Trail of the Elephant team’s philosophy is centred around two important questions:

How do these animals live in the wild?

How can we replicate that in their everyday care?

The design of the Asian Elephant herd’s home at Melbourne Zoo ensures the growing herd can exercise and explore natural behaviours. Meeting the herd's biological and exercise requirements.

“We are always looking at ways to encourage the elephants to express natural behaviours. This may include digging for minerals, foraging, reaching up high, walking over varied terrain, swimming and wallowing, all of which we encourage here at Melbourne Zoo.

This will be even more incredible over a large space at Werribee Open Range Zoo where the herd will have opportunities to move large distances in search of resources.”  

 

The expansive new habitat at Werribee Open Range Zoo will deepen these opportunities. The Asian elephant herd will be able to roam freely across 21 hectares of purpose-built open range habitat.

• The communal sleeping area has been designed to enable natural herd births in the future.
• Five outer habitats will keep and build upon existing vegetation and significant trees, as well as featuring deep-water pools and sandpits.
• Two dedicated overpass bridges will allow the elephants to pass over visitor walking trails.

We're sparing no expense in creating a space that will be the new gold standard in animal welfare.