Auckland Zoo's Asian elephant programme

Auckland Zoo's Asian Elephant Programme

Auckland Zoo is currently home to one Asian elephant, 27-year-old female Burma, who arrived from Myanmar (Burma) in 1990.

Burma's long-time companion, much loved 40-year-old female elephant Kashin, died in August 2009.

The Zoo holds elephants as high-profile conservation advocates, and our elephant management programme is recognised worldwide as highly progressive, and is used as a template for programmes at other zoos.  Integral to us having elephants is the support we provide to elephant conservation in the wild.

With the full support of the Zoo Board and Auckland City Council, we are now working to source Asian elephant(s) to provide companionship for Burma and to progress our plans to build up a sustainable herd.

To find out about Auckland Zoo's elephant programme and our upcoming plans, download this FACT SHEET.

To find out more information regarding the future of elephants at Auckland Zoo, click here.

Quick Links

Fact Sheet – Auckland Zoo Elephant Programme
Supporting elephant conservation in the wild
Photo Essay – A Day in the Life of Burma

Burma 

While not able to breed, 27-year-old female Asian elephant Burma is healthy and still relatively young.

Since elephant Kashin's passing in August 2009, Burma is continuing to cope extremely well – mentally, physically and emotionally.  How well she is doing is testament to the management skills of the elephant team and the close bonds they have with her.

Elephants are highly social animals and need to live in a herd structure, and this is what we are working to acheive for Burma.

In the meantime, as well as making her days fun and challenging and being with her throughout the day, the elephant team and vet staff have installed cameras in both her inside and outside areas.  This means she can be monitored continuously overnight – and will enable staff to pick up if she were to show any signs that she was not coping.

Date of birth: Late 1982 (birthday celebrated in November)

Country of origin: Myanmar (formerly known as Burma)

Arrival at Auckland Zoo: May 1990

Personality: Burma is much like the cheeky teenager – very mischievous and energetic. She likes to test her boundaries with her keepers, gets easily excited, and is very vocal.

Favourite things: Loves banana palm and sugar cane, and sweet fruits like watermelon. Burma loves exploring new environments, and enjoys her daily walks around the Zoo. These are varied, and can involve going into other animal enclosures.

Painting is another activity Burma likes to do.  It's not something that she does every day, but rather is just one of many fun and challenging activities keepers do with her.

"We can tell when her ears are flapping, her eyes are wide open and her paintbrush is getting a real workout, that she's having a lot of fun," says Auckland Zoo's elephant team leader, Andrew Coers.

Paintings done by Burma are framed and sold to raise money for the Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund.  These can be viewed and purchased at the Zoo's Information Centre, or phone (09) 360 3805.

Supporting elephant conservation in the wild

Elephants at Auckland Zoo play an important role in connecting our visitors with wildlife, and inspiring them to care about wildlife and wild habitats. They enable us to advocate for the greater conservation needs of the South East Asian region.

Auckland Zoo is actively involved in supporting conservation projects in the wild in the South East Asian region. To find out more about the conservation projects we support, CLICK HERE.

PHOTO ESSAY – A Day in the Life of Burma 

Enjoying some 'breakfast'

Working out with her keepers

Scrub down in the elephant house

Wallowing in mud and swimming

Going for a walk around the Zoo and saying hi to visitors

Visiting some of the other animals

Spending time in off-display forested areas of the Zoo, browsing and enjoying a dust bath.

Hanging out with her keepers