July 13, 2026
KOBE – Nozomi, the oldest koala in Japan, died Wednesday due to gastrointestinal failure, according to the tourist facility where she was kept in Minami-Awaji, Hyogo Prefecture. She was 18.
The life expectancy for koalas is around 15 years. Nozomi would have been about 90 in human years, according to Awaji Farm Park England Hill.
Nozomi was born in 2008 in Yanchep National Park in Western Australia. She was moved to Awaji Farm Park England Hill in 2011 to mark the 30th anniversary of sister state relations between the prefecture and the Australian state.
“Nozomi felt like our child and was pampered,” a facility official said. “Since she passed away peacefully while being held by her keeper, we have no regrets. Nozomi was loved by many and was also popular on social media.”
Following Nozomi’s death, Daichi, another koala kept at the facility, is now the oldest in Japan at 12.