Elephants could return to South Australia for first time in almost 30 years under Zoos SA plan

Elephants could be making their return to zoos in South Australia for the first time in nearly 30 years.

Preparations are underway to bring three at first with plans to set up an entire herd. But to make it happen the public will have to chip in.

Zoos SA has announced plans to bring Burma from Auckland to Monarto Safari Park in Adelaide, along with 33-year-olds Permai and Putra Mas from Perth.

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However, the three much-loved Asian Elephants are in need of a new home that reflects their long-term needs.

"We got the potential of creating a new elephant home," Zoos SA chief executive Elaine Bensted said.

The last time an elephant graced Adelaide was in 1994.

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Samorn, who was a gift from the king of Thailand in 1958, was originally housed at Adelaide Zoo before she was later transferred to Monarto.

If all goes well with the new venture the three elephants could be joined by as many as five others.

The catch is it will cost $6.5 million to relocate and rehome the elephants.

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Zoos SA has put a call out to the public to raise $2 million of that.

"We want everyone to get involved," Bensted said,

"If kids can throw in a little bit of their pocket money or do some extra jobs around their house."

The money needs to be raised by October, with the elephants expected to arrive in 2025.

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