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