Taronga's elephants are here to play a crucial role in a regional breeding & conservation program for Asian Elephants, which are endangered in the wild.
These elephants were selected from recommended elephant camps throughout Thailand. Prior to coming to Australia they had lived most of their lives in these tourist camps and some had spent time on city streets begging for food and money from tourists. Now they are here in Sydney the group has formed into a strong family unit and are given everything they need to be happy young elephants.
This is Gung - Tarongas only mature male elephant.
As young male elephants reach sexual maturity they are driven & pushed out of female dominated herds. Mature bulls live as solitary animals or sometimes in bachelor groups only interacting with the female herds to breed. Gung is now housed by himself in his own exhibit. Gung's new home has a large heated barn with hot & cold water for showers, a mud wallow, two pools (one with water jets to play with), sleeping mound, scratching posts, exercise yard and sand pit. There is a large shade structure and a massive mature fig tree was translocated on the site to provide natural shade.
It is important to note that Gung will not be on his own. As well as regular daily contact with keepers who he is bonded to, he will also have regular visits from our female elephants, who will be walked between both sites or moved via a special vehicle during public hours.
