Two gorgeous Nile Hippopotamuses, Brindabella and Pansy, call the Wild Africa™ waterholes home. Brindabella was born in 1990 and weighs a whopping 1,584kg. Brindabella was born at Werribee Open Range Zoo, where she gave birth to Pansy in 2013.
Nile Hippopotamus are semi-aquatic animals and spend up to 16 hours a day in water. Despite this, hippos don’t actually swim! Due to their dense body mass, they sink to the bottom and trot along the riverbed. Nile Hippopotamus are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Wild Africa™ is home to Scimitar-Oryx, an antelope from North Africa characterised by their large sweeping curved horns that resemble a scimitar sword. The species was downgraded by the IUCN in November 2023 from extinct in the wild to endangered.
Monarto Safari Park has had excellent breeding success as part of the international species breeding program with over 50 calves born since 2011. An incredible conservation success story, since 2005 a global effort led by Sahara Conservation, has seen the once-extinct-in-the-wild species released into protected areas in Tunisia, Morocco and Senegal.
Grazing the plains of Wild Africa™, are a herd of stripey Plains Zebra. This species is nomadic and generally live in breeding groups with a single male and his ‘harem’ of up to six females or in all male bachelor groups.
The Plains Zebra is the most common and geographically widespread of the three zebra species. However, the species is now classified as near threatened by the IUCN with numbers are decreasing due to hunting for their meat and skins.
The Cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal and Africa’s most endangered big cat. Uniquely adapted for speed, the Cheetah is capable of reaching speeds greater than 100kph in just over three seconds and at top speed their stride is seven meters long.
Be sure to keep your eyes’ peeled for this spotty species on your Wild Africa™ safari, their distinct coats act as natural camouflage, helping them seamlessly blend into the grasslands.
The tallest residents of the Wild Africa™ plains are the ginormous Giraffe. This species forms big, loose nomadic herds that wander the plains, feeding on vegetation as they go. They’re predominantly browsing animals, meaning they tend to eat leaves and bark off trees as the main part of their diet.
Aptly, a stationary herd of Giraffe is called a ‘tower’, however on the move across the vast plains with majestic, rhythmic gait they are called a ‘journey’. Individual giraffes have a unique pattern on their coat, just like fingerprints are unique to each human.
You will be able to tell a Blackbuck apart from other antelope species in Wild Africa™ by their impressive spiral horns, which sweep back from their head in a V-shape.
Male Blackbucks are much larger than their female counterparts, and have a rich dark brown coat, while females are a lighter tan colour. With an incredibly high leap, this species can run up to 80kmph.
Male and female Nyala look incredibly different. Female sport a striking chestnut brown coat with white stripes, whereas adult males feature a dark grey, shaggy coat and large, twisted horns. These antelope love to live amongst the trees and shrubs nibbling on leaves and grass and will often rest in the shade so make sure to keep your eyes sharp when trying to spot one on your safari.
While on your safari journey make sure to keep an eye out for Wild Africa’s™ crash of female rhinos, Carrie and Savannah. The girls are joined by bull, Ibutho, and spend their days grazing, wallowing and roaming the plains.
The Southern White Rhino is one of the largest land animals on earth and has the biggest horn of all rhino species. Southern White Rhino are near threatened, with poaching for the international rhino horn trade one of the biggest threats to the wild populations.
Rhino horns provide no proven medical benefit; the horn is made of a protein called keratin, which is also what makes up skin, fingernails, hair and hooves.
Critically endangered, Addax are now only found in isolated pockets of the Sahara Desert. Known for their long thin spiral horns, the antelope species has faced threats from poaching and habitat loss.
Africa’s largest antelope species, Eland form herds of up to 500 animals that roam a variety of habitats but avoid dense forests. Despite their size, this impressive species can jump up to 2.5m high from standing!
Spot the difference between males and female Ostrich through their feathers, with males typically displaying black and white feathers while females feature grey or beige plumage.
Sporting an impressive beard of shaggy hair that extends from their throat down to their legs, Barbary Sheep, despite their name, are actually more like goats and antelope and both males and females have horns.
Within the waterholes of Wild Africa™ one of Zoos SA’s incredible conservation projects. The Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon, a tiny native fish species, was thought extinct but brought back from the brink thanks to Zoos SA’s conservation team, the Nature Glenelg Trust and the Murraylands and Riverlands Landscape Board.
The fish species has now been released into the freshwater waterholes across Wild Africa™, providing a safe place for the species to breed, build up their numbers and genetic diversity. The program brings Zoos SA one step closer to releasing the Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon back into their native habitat.
Download this information fact sheet here.
Wild Africa™ at Monarto Safari Park is a large-scale open range precinct, owned and operated by Zoos SA. Covering more than 550 hectares, Wild Africa™ provides vast open terrain designed to support complex social groupings, natural behaviours, and long-term species management.
This living landscape is home to a range of threatened species, including giraffe, rhino, cheetah, zebra, ostrich, antelope, and hippopotamus, and forms a central part of Monarto Safari Park’s role as a regional hub for conservation, breeding, and visitor engagement.
Wild Africa™ has been designed to balance three core outcomes:
Wild Africa™ prioritises environments that enable animals to make choices about how they move, interact, and use space.
Habitats are designed to:
This approach reflects Zoos SA’s commitment to welfare as a foundation for both conservation outcomes and meaningful visitor experiences.
Monarto Safari Resort, independently owned by a private investor and operated by Journey Beyond, is situated at the heart of Wild Africa™. It extends the Wild Africa™ experience into a multi-day, immersive stay.
Set within the landscape of Wild Africa™, Monarto Safari Resort offers direct views across open-range habitats, curated experiences that connect guests with wildlife and conservation work, and opportunities to engage more deeply with Zoos SA’s mission.
Importantly, every stay at Monarto Safari Resort directly contributes to Zoos SA’s conservation programs for native species and wider global conservation partnerships.
As a not-for-profit conservation charity, revenue generated through every ticket, experience, and visit – including a portion of stays at Monarto Safari Resort – supports Zoos SA’s broader conservation efforts to save species from extinction.
This includes critical programs focused on at-risk Australian native species, such as:
Mallee-emu Wren
Supporting captive breeding and release to wild, and population monitoring in South Australia for this tiny bird once considered locally extinct.
Plains Wanderer
Contributing to breeding, research, and reintroduction efforts for one of Australia’s most threatened grassland birds.
Red-tailed Phascogale
Partnering on recovery programs for this small, carnivorous marsupial through breeding and wild release in protected habitats.
These programs are delivered in partnership with government, research institutions, conservation partners, and zoological institutions to ensure expert evidence-based, long-term impact.
Visitors can explore Wild Africa™ through the exclusive guided safari experiences operated by Zoos SA.
The unique dawn and sunset safari experiences are carefully designed to allow visitor access to expansive landscapes while maintaining appropriate distance and respect for the animals who roam the space.
Experiences are curated to be:
Wild Africa™ plays a critical role in connecting visitors with wildlife in a way that builds understanding, support, and action for conservation.
By experiencing animals in expansive, natural environments – and understanding the direct link between visitation and conservation outcomes – each guest becomes an active contributor to protecting species both globally and within Australia.
Regenerative tourism, when delivered ethically, creates a positive cycle:
Every visitor becomes part of this cycle.
Regenerative tourism at Zoos SA is designed around education, welfare, research, and restoration working together.
Nearly two decades in the making, Wild Africa™ provides a blueprint for the future of zoos and represents significant investment in long term species conservation, best practice animal welfare, and ethical, sustainable tourism in South Australia.
It strengthens Monarto Safari Park’s position as a leading open range zoological and conservation charity, delivering measurable impact for both wildlife and the community.
Commercial filming and photography fee is from $400 per hour or $4,000 per day plus GST.
Additional fees for specific requirements may apply.
Fees may not be charged if Zoos South Australia (Zoos SA) is highlighted or mentioned in the editorial/script.
Fees may be negotiable if the filming/photography is for educational purposes.
Conditions of filming:
1. (a) The Zoos SA reserves at its absolute discretion the right to refuse permission for photography on its premises.
(b) The Zoos SA reserves the right to refuse permission for photography which in its opinion may be in bad taste and/or damage the reputation of the organisation, its staff, volunteers and members.
2. Animals must not be unduly disturbed or distressed in order to obtain preferred positions or special effects. Neither must they be handled by any person except under the supervision of a senior Zoo officer.
3. Filming must not interfere with normal Zoo working nor cause inconvenience to the public.
Personal photography is permitted at Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park without prior approval. Commercial photography is not allowed without prior approval and may incur a fee. Please contact Public Relations to discuss your request.
4. Damage to property of the Zoos SA or any member of the public present upon the Zoo premises which is caused by the Hirer or his Servants or Agents will in every case be the responsibility of the Hirer and will be compensated for entirely by him.
5. The Hirer and their Agents enter upon the premises of Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park entirely at their own risk and the Zoos SA is not responsible for injury to the person or damage to the property of the Hirer or Agents whether caused by the negligence of the Zoos SA or its Agents otherwise.
6. In the event of personal injury being incurred by others than the animal attendant, the Hirer must accept full responsibility. Veterinary fees resulting from injury to any animals is the Hirers expense and in the case of animal death, compensation to be paid at animal replacement value.
7. Payment will be made within 30 days of receipt of official the Zoos SA account.
8. No commercial/major filming is undertaken during any high visitation period, unless urgent and in that case each request will be assessed prior to approval.
9. The Zoos SA may waive part or all of the above fees if it considers there is an overriding benefit. Such cases may include proposals with a strong educational or conservation focus, or proposals with a promotional or other benefit for the Zoos SA. The waiving of fees is entirely at the discretion of Zoos SA.
For more information please contact Public Relations for further information.
Personal photography is permitted at Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park without prior approval. Commercial photography is not allowed without prior approval and may incur a fee. Please contact Public Relations to discuss your request.
When we communicate about wildlife, we have a responsibility to do so with dignity and respect. Find out more about the Guiding Principles for Respectful Wildlife Communication here.
No. Zoos SA has strict safety and welfare protocols in place to ensure the health and wellbeing of all humans and animals in our care. Should you require close-up vision of a particular animal or its habitat, please contact our Public Relations team with your request: pr@zoossa.com.au.
Find out more about Zoos SA’s conservation priorities here.
As a not-for-profit conservation charity working to connect people with nature and save species from extinction, the ethical care and welfare of animals at Zoos SA is a priority. We are committed to delivering expertise and excellence in wildlife care and animal welfare that is holistic, ethically sound, and based on animal welfare science.
Our objective is to ensure that every animal in our care always achieves net positive welfare, where the overall balance of experiences provide a positive quality of life, for the entirety of their lives. We are dedicated to offering the animals in our care the opportunity to make choices, exert control and exercise agency, as these concepts play a crucial role in promoting positive welfare.
Our aspiration is for all animals to experience optimal welfare states: thriving 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Zoos SA’s model of animal welfare comprises five components, each critical to successfully providing a thriving, rewarding life for every animal in our care.
These five components include:
1. Ethical foundation
2. Evidence-based management
3. Evaluation and continuous improvement
4. Building understanding and expertise
5. Education and advocacy
We implement these components using a science-based approach to animal welfare that focuses on the Five Domains: environment, behaviour, nutrition, health and positive mental state.
Providing healthy and nutritious diets for the animals in our care is one of the most complex aspects of running any zoo, but also the most important. With over 3,000 animals across Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park, we have many mouths to feed – from a range of different taxa, with species including herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores – so ensuring the best in nutrition and food preparation is almost a full time job.
Zoos SA is one of only a few zoos in the region to employ an animal nutritionist, who works closely with veterinarians and keeping teams to ensure each animal is supplied with a diet that meets their individual needs, ranging from insects, to fish and crustaceans, to leafy greens and plant materials, to white and red meat.
For all media inquiries, please contact Public Relations at pr@zoossa.com.au.
For all media enquires, please contact Zoos SA Public Relations at pr@zoossa.com.au.
Please note office hours are Monday – Friday from 8am to 5pm. If your request is outside of these hours or over the weekend, please note response times will take longer, however we get back to you as soon as possible.
If the matter is urgent, please contact the phone room on (08) 8267 3255 and request to speak with the Duty Manager on call. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
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