By Jaidyn Kennedy
Two mega swimming pools, tonnes of sand, plenty of open spaces, a centre for remedial work, street art and it’s all located in the heart of Werribee South, just half an hour from Melbourne and Geelong.
That might sound like a great sales pitch from a developer, and despite the fact it isn’t, that new site in Werribee South is still a great place to live – especially if you are an Asian elephant.
‘The Elephant Trail,’ the new 21-hectare home of nine Asian elephants who made news when they moved down the highway from Melbourne Zoo in February, is now open for all to see.
Anyone entering the trail will be greeted by an elephant – a bronze one – but the real herd are never far from sight.
The five ladies and their three calves can be seen nonchalantly walking between the main habitat and five smaller habitats that are interconnected.
Luk Chai, the lone bull of the crew and father of the calves, can be a bit more elusive just like he would be in the wild.
Elephants grazing on pastures, having a swim and dustbathing are some of things you can expect to witness on the trail.
The herd barn, the area where they do all their care and training with zookeepers, might be the definition of health is wealth.
A trunk or form of staff identification are requirements of entry, but onlookers can still catch a glimpse of anything from trunk washing to footcare.
For some visitors, a walk down The Elephant Trail is an experience that bears significance.
Mae Kunoo, who like the ancestors of the herd is from Thailand, visited with her mother and one-year-old son on Monday, March 24.
“We just wanted to bring him here and show him the elephants that are traditional back in our country,” Ms Kunoo said.
“For me it’s beautiful, and it’s nice to come with your family – it’s a long walk, but it’s worth it.”
Zookeeper Lucy Truelson is someone who knows a few things or two about elephants, having worked with them for more than 25 years.
Ms Truelson was a big part of the decade-long journey to bring elephants to Werribee zoo, travelling to zoos in Ireland, the United Kingdom in the United States to inform the project.
“It was all about fact finding, not just looking at the elephant program, but the wonderful elephant brains that exist overseas,” she said.
“We spent a lot of time really getting an understanding of that 24-hour routine that [elephants] have.
“Again, it’s always natural biology, it’s our best teacher.”
Letting people admire Asian elephants acting naturally is a crucial step in building an understanding of the species and their ongoing plight, Ms Truelson said.
“The biggest issue for Asian elephants is habitat destruction and that creates conflict between humans and elephants,” she said
“People can have that experience where they make connections with the elephants and build curiosity, understanding, empathy and compassion with the species.”
To visit the herd: www.zoo.org.au/werribee/habitats/the-elephant-trail/
