Washing an Elephant at Melbourne Zoo
2 Comments September 3, 2010 / Posted in Life
Mai with Bong Su (Bull Elephant) to be washed
So I was reading the Sunday newspaper last week while sipping my coffee when I read a story about the chance of washing Bong Su - a 5 tonnes asian elphant from the Melbourne Zoo. Within 60 seconds of reading the story I picked up my mobile and called to register my spot!
Registering and booking for your experience
To register your spot you need to call the Melbourne Zoo on +61 3 9285 9300. The cost is $100/person which you can pay via a credit card over the phone.
The $100 also includes entrance to the Zoo, hence I recommend you set aside time to explore the zoo. The money is used for the upkeep of the animal as well as helping towards conserving Asian elephant’s habitat in Asia.
Melbourne Zoo is located approx 15 minutes from city by tram or a short 10 minutes drive.
On the Arrival
Make sure you have your camera ready and get ready to take as many pictures to capture the experience. There is also the Melbourne Zoo photographer on standby if you’ve forgot to take your camera :).
I got myself well prepared by wearing comfortable shoes and clothing and avoid bright colours as it may disturb the animal.
As I arrived I was joined by 5 others who were all looking forward to the experience. The elephant we were going to wash was named Bong Su, a male bull elephant which happens to be the father of the recently born baby elephant, Mali. (video & photos of Mali theage.com.au)
After the briefing, we were herded into the elephant barn on the other side of the zoo. Passing the back door, we entered the barn. We were shown the fridge where they kept the zoo animals food as well as the simulation schedule the zoo keeper provides for the animals.
Elephant Food Chart
Elephant enrichment and simulation schedules
The elephant washing experience
As we entered the barn, I noticed that the floor was rubberish, apparently this is to protect the elephant’s feet/joints. I was waiting in anticipation and not long after Bong Su entered the barn.
My reaction: Bong Su is a HUGEEEEEEE. I don’t think anyone can comprehend the size of an elephant until they get close up. I mean I have been to Africa and seen African elephants (which are bigger) but seeing Bong Su from 2 metres is really something else. Bong Su weighs 5 tonnes and must have been around 3.5m tall. Apparently he is the biggest animal in Australia!
You might be thinking if all that steal cage is necessary? Well I can tell you that Im glad it was there. I was told even the handlers were a little toey. Compared to the females, bull elephants are VERY unpredictable which is why the cage I guess.
Bong Su - a 36 years old male bull elephant weighs 5000 kg, ready for a good scrub
The zoo keeper started spraying Bong Su with warm water. As he was being hosed, the keeper started talking to him in an Asian language to get Bong Su lift his feet, move his back, kneel and lie down. It was like giving your dog a command but 500 times bigger haha…
Bong Su’s sooooo adorable, we were told that he understood language and can think like a 3 or 4 year old. This is so amazing.
Ok so its my turn to brush Bong Su. They gave me a broom and a bucket of soap. I dipped my broom and started scrubing him. Bong Su seems to like it, I guess it’s like giving a human being a back rub. I also realised how unfit I am and how much hardwork it is for a zoo keeper to care for this elephant. My arm started to hurt and I’ve only done a small portion of the washing. My other 2 fellow visitors finished the job up.
Bong so lifts his leg as soon as he hears instruction in an asian language given by his keeper
Once again, after verbally instructed by his keeper, Bong Su, the bull elephant lies down, ready to be washed
Mai with a broom and a bucket of soap ready to wash an elephant
Mai realises that giving an elephant a good scrub's so tiring and requires a lot of hard elbow work
Bong Su, the bull elephant's given a final rinse
I actually fell in love with Bong Su as I was brushing him, his eyes were showing that he really enjoyed this experience as much as I did. As Bong Su stood up, he looked like a totally different animal. He’s so clean and handsome 
.
a coarse elephant skin with lots of hair
Bong Su renjoys the washing very much as we can tell from the way he looks
Hiding Bong Su (Bull Elephant)’s snack
After the washing, we were each given a bucket of elephant snack which consists of a pumpkin, couple oranges and a zuchini. We left the barn and went to Bong Su’s zoo enclosure. We were told to hide these food in one place so that as Bong Su re-enter, he will be able to play hide and seek and hit a jackpot when he finds the food. We went to different places and scattered our group of snack.
We had a ball watching Bong Su play hide and seek with his snack.
A bucket of Elephant's favourite snack - ready to be hidden away at Bong Su (the bull elephant)'s enclosureMai at Bong Su (the bull elephant's) enclosure - ready to hide some snack
Mai at Bong Su (the bull elephant's) enclosure - ready to hide some snack
Bong Su, as he comes back at his enclosure after a good wash, found the first hidden snack
Bong Su, finds the last hidden jackpot of snack
Grabbing a pumpkin
Bong Su finishes his hide and seek game
It's massive (self explanatory)
I also got a chance to visit Bong Su’s newly born daughter Mali. Mali has a lot of personality and I was told it’s rare to have a female elephant born in the zoo.
Mali - the newly born female baby elephant
Mali - playing with mud
Mali's mom, rubbing her tummy
The elephant washing experience was one of the most enjoyable experience which certainly made me fall in love with an elephant. For you who knows me well, I’m an animal lover and most of my charity support has been everything to do with protecting wild life and animal well being. By experiencing the elephant washing not that you help support animal but also have a very memorable experience. It’s certainly money well spent.
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I’ve just rung the zoo as my three children would love to do the cleaning of the elephants. I know it’s expensive but I thought it would be an opportunity of a life time. As two of my children are under 16 I would have to purchase a ticket for myself as well to accompany them so in total the cost would be $400.00. I think Melbourne Zoo is being a little bit greedy and I’m disappointed about that and won’t be doing it until the children are older or I win the lottery. Perhaps they should look at family passes.
Hi Angela, that is ashame because I definitely think your kids will love the experience as much as I did. I agree with you that they should perhaps have a family pass of some sort. Other than that I’m not sure what else they can do other than lower the prices. I guess one thing you can do is to give it as a birthday present for the kid/s (especially if the birthdays are close to each other) and make a whole day out of it as the fee includes entrance fee. You can pack lunch and have a picnic there too.