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These two mature marsupials are the oldest koala and oldest wombat in the world!
Midori holds two world records; oldest living koala in captivity and oldest koala in captivity ever. Born in February 1997, she is now 25 years old. 🐨
Wain, the oldest living wombat in captivity and oldest wombat in captivity ever, is over 32 years old.
Although Midori and Wain both live in Japan (in different zoos), they originally came from Australia. ✈️
Did you know?
Marsupials are a group of mammals known for carrying their young in a pouch. Kangaroos, opossums, koalas and wombats are the most well-known marsupials.
Koalas and wombats are closely-related cousins in the animal world.
Native to Australia, they are both marsupials and they are both nocturnal (active at night). They are also similar in size and appearance. 🐨
The main difference between the two species is that koalas spend most of their time high up in trees, whilst wombats live in underground burrows. 🌳
Wain the wombat was rescued from his mother’s pouch after a car accident in November 1989, so we know he is at least 32 years 86 days old (as of January 2022). That’s over 100 wombat years!
The average lifespan of a wild wombat is just five years, although they usually live for around 20 years in captivity.
In 1990, Wain and two other wombats were sent as a gift from Tasmania, Australia to Satsukiyama Zoo in Japan.
Wain has lived a happy and healthy life there ever since. According to the zookeepers, “he never got sick in the past few years.” 😊
Did you know?
Wombats are the world’s largest burrowing marsupial. They can measure up to 1.2 m (4 ft) and weigh up to 35 kg (77 lb), with large paws and strong claws used for digging burrows.
Wain lives a very relaxed lifestyle and enjoys his daily routine.
In the morning he eats breakfast (grass and sweet potatoes), before walking around the field and taking a midday nap under the sun. 😴
Wain gets up again in the evening for another stroll around the field and then he tucks into his dinner. He usually eats grass, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins or apples. 😋
Midori the koala was born in February 1997 in Australia. In 2003 she was gifted to Awaji Farm Park England Hill, in Hyogo, Japan.
She is now over 25 years old, which is over 110 koala years!
The average lifespan of a koala in captivity is 12-15 years.
Did you know?
Koalas are the sleepiest marsupial in the world. Due to their low-quality diet of eucalyptus leaves, koalas sleep for up to 18 hours every day in order to conserve energy.
Even in her old age, Midori is still able to feed herself, climb trees and meet visitors. She enjoys the same daily routine as most koalas: Eat. Sleep. Repeat. 🐨
The world’s oldest koala is well looked after by her keepers. They clip Midori’s nails, brush her fur and regularly check her health. Sometimes, Midori even gets massages!
"I'm very grateful that she was certified for such an honourable record, and provided an opportunity for a lot of people to know about her." – Kazuhiro from Satsukiyama Zoo
How many of the world’s largest animals do you know?