Vienna, Austria — Four young white-nosed coatis have begun exploring their outdoor enclosure for the first time at Schönbrunn Zoo, marking their first public appearance.

The pups, two females and two males, were born at the end of March to the zoo’s younger female coati. According to Zoo Director Dr. Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck, coatis are born blind and remain hidden in tree nests for their first six to seven weeks, which is why they were not visible to visitors earlier.

The young animals are now growing more active, moving around their shared enclosure with spectacled bears and exploring their surroundings while becoming familiar with the rest of the coati group.

White-nosed coatis originate from Mexico, Central America, and northwestern South America. They inhabit diverse environments ranging from rainforests to open landscapes, and feed on insects, spiders, worms, fruits, tubers, and occasionally small vertebrates.

The enclosure is designed to encourage natural behavior. Zoological curator Rupert Kainradl explained that deadwood is intentionally left in place and vegetation is only minimally trimmed, helping support insect life that the coatis can search for during the day.

Visitors may now have the chance to observe the young coatis as they attempt climbing and continue exploring their environment.

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