Elephant move FAQs
After many years of calling Melbourne Zoo their home, your friendly neighbourhood elephants are upsizing to a new 21-hectare elephant habitat at Werribee Open Range Zoo. Below are some frequently asked questions about the herd and their big move!
The move to Werribee Open Range Zoo
Visitors to Werribee Open Range Zoo are expected to be able to see the Asian elephant her in their new home in early 2025
Zoos Victoria’s herd of Asian Elephants has grown with the recent arrival of three calves, bringing the herd total to 9 elephants. Once relocated to Werribee Open Range Zoo, the herd will live in an expansive 21-hectare open range, naturalistic setting. The world-leading facilities will provide the highest level of care and welfare. Moving the elephant herd from Melbourne Zoo to Werribee Open Range Zoo also paves the way for a new, innovative precinct to be developed at Melbourne Zoo.
The Elephant Trail at Werribee Open Range Zoo will comprise a 21-hectare open range habitat for Zoos Victoria’s growing Asian elephant herd, featuring a central habitat with sandpit and deep-water pools. Visitors will be able to view the Elephant barn including a communal area, training spaces and communal sleeping area. Five outer habitats will retain and build upon existing vegetation and significant trees. Two dedicated overpass bridges will allow Asian elephants to pass over visitor walking trails, between the central management yard and outer habitats.
The design of Melbourne Zoo’s current elephant habitats ensures all of the elephants can exercise and explore natural behaviours by interacting with different substrates and landscapes.
These environments meet biological and physical needs through opportunities for swimming and different ways of foraging for and finding food. The design features of the future Werribee Open Range Zoo facilities will extend and deepen these opportunities.
EEHV
Melbourne Zoo takes the health of the herd extremely seriously, particularly as the possibility of EEHV outbreaks has the potential to affect all the elephants under the age of 15.
Prevention and monitoring for EEHV is critical as currently there is no vaccine or medication effective in preventing EEHV disease, only treatments to minimise the symptoms.
Melbourne Zoo’s elephants are closely monitored by keepers observing for any deviation from the calf’s normal appetite, gait, sleep pattern, and body temperature and activity levels. Each adult herd member also has weekly blood tests to detect any evidence of the presence of EEHVs. In the event of any evidence of EEHV, treatment is implemented immediately, as was the case with Man Jai as soon as EEHV was confirmed. However, at present, drug treatment is effective in only around 20% - 30% of cases, as the disease can progress very rapidly. For most animals who develop the disease, it is fatal.