Wain, the world’s oldest wombat in captivity ever, is still going strong at the age of 34.
He was rescued from his mother’s pouch following a car accident in November 1989, meaning he is at least 34 years 100 days old.
However, he could potentially already be 35 as he is thought to have been born in January 1989.
The previous record holder was a wombat named Patrick (1986–2017), who lived at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Victoria, Australia, and was at least 30 years 200 days old when he died.
Wombats typically have a lifespan of 5-15 years in the wild, and in captivity they can live into their twenties, but Wain’s longevity is unprecedented.
“He is a miraculous wombat,” said Kozo Sejima, the director of Satsukiyama Zoo in Ikeda, Japan, where Wain resides.
Director Sejima attributes Wain’s remarkable longevity to the low-stress lifestyle he leads: “He sleeps when he wants to sleep and eats when he wants to eat.”
Satsukiyama is the second smallest zoo in the country, thus staff are able to scrupulously care for each animal. And because entry to the zoo is free, the animals are left to live in peace, rather than being forced to appear in front of visitors
