White-nosed coatis at Schönbrunn: Four young animals explore their enclosure

The quartet consists of two females and two males. Hering-Hagenbeck explained the late appearance with a biological peculiarity: "Nasenbären sind Nesthocker. Deshalb waren sie für unsere Besucherinnen und Besucher bisher kaum zu sehen." In the meantime, the four young animals have become "flügge und überaus neugierig geworden" and are showing themselves in the enclosure.

Home in Central and South America

White-nosed coatis are a small bear species native to Central and South America, ranging from Mexico through Central America to South America. The animals, also known as coatis, are characterized by their strikingly elongated, movable nose, which they use to sniff out insects and small prey.

Naturalistic enclosure with deadwood and insects

Tiergarten Schönbrunn deliberately designs the animals' enclosure to be naturalistic. Rupert Kainradl, zoological curator at Tiergarten Schönbrunn, explained the concept: "Wir lassen bewusst Totholz liegen und schneiden die Vegetation nur so weit zurück, wie es notwendig ist. So finden zahlreiche Insekten einen Lebensraum und unsere Nasenbären können tagsüber nach Krabbelgetier suchen." The facility thus provides a habitat not only for the bears but also for numerous insect species.

With the birth of the four young animals, the group of white-nosed coatis at Schönbrunn continues to grow. The Vienna zoo is one of the few European zoos that keep this species as part of international breeding programs. The successful rearing of four young animals is regarded as a positive sign for the management of the small population.

Significance for the breeding population

According to the zoo, although the young animals can now be easily observed, they remain closely tied to their mother and the family group. According to Hering-Hagenbeck, the reserved care by the mother in the first weeks is crucial for ensuring that the young animals grow up healthy and can later explore the enclosure independently.

Information for visitors

Visitors can observe the young coati family at Tiergarten Schönbrunn over the coming weeks. The zoo points out that the animals still need rest periods and will not necessarily be active in every case. The zoo recommends planning visits in the early morning hours, when the animals are particularly active in searching for food.

The reporting on the offspring was picked up by, among others, WDR.de, which reported on the white-nosed coatis on June 17, 2026. Thus, the small sensation from Vienna is receiving attention beyond Austria's borders as well.