Two koalas debut at Saitama zoo, marking first arrivals from Australia in a decade

Two koalas arrived at Saitama Children’s Zoo in Higashimatsuyama, Saitama Prefecture, in July, marking the zoo’s first new arrivals from Australia in about 10 years. Bringing in koalas from overseas is considered important for maintaining genetic diversity among koalas in Japan, and the zoo hopes the newcomers will help boost its breeding efforts.

The two koalas are Arnold, a 2-year-old male, and Bubbles, a 3-year-old female, both born in Queensland, Australia. They went on public display at the zoo in late August.

According to the zoo, Arnold is calm and began eating relatively soon after arriving, while Bubbles is somewhat nervous and took longer to adjust to her new surroundings. With the two newcomers, the zoo now has nine koalas.

Koalas were first brought to Japan in 1984. According to the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the number kept in Japan peaked at 96 in 1997 but continued to decline, falling to just 35 in 2013. The population has since recovered, with 61 koalas living at seven facilities across Japan as of the end of 2025.

Although koalas are popular for their cute appearance, their role in zoos goes beyond entertaining visitors, the association says.

Wild koala populations in Australia have declined due to threats including bushfires. Keeping and breeding koalas in Japan helps preserve the species outside its natural habitat.

However, many koalas die before reaching around 1 year old. Koala-specific infectious diseases are thought to be one possible cause, although the reasons for some deaths remain unknown.

Securing a steady supply of eucalyptus, their main food, is another major challenge. The Saitama zoo obtains eucalyptus from about seven different sources.

To maintain the koala population in Japan, zoos need to bring in new animals from Australia to preserve genetic diversity. Cooperation among zoos in Japan is also essential, allowing males and females from different bloodlines to be paired for breeding.

“We want to take good care of these two newcomers because they bring new bloodlines and will play an important role in the future of koalas in Japan,” said Sachiko Noguchi, the zoo’s director.