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The white-nosed coatis Puppe and Fernando hit it off immediately: The male only moved into Schönbrunn Zoo in April 2019 and there are already offspring: "On June 4th, our female coati gave birth to twins. At birth, coatis measure about 10 centimeters from the tip of their nose to their torso. In addition, there is the typical long tail. They are blind and deaf and are cared for in a nest for the first few weeks," says zoo director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck. The twins are now making their first excursions - but still on wobbly legs. "They are allowed to move about a meter away from their mother before she brings them back to the nest. It is the first litter for both of them and they are taking good care of them," says zookeeper Michaela Hofmann happily. The young animals, whose gender is not yet known, are still being suckled. But they are also interested in sweet fruit such as grapes and pears. They look like the adult animals in miniature. "The fur of the white-nosed coati is grey-brown. They are coloured white around the eyes and on the snout," explains Hering-Hagenbeck. Coatis are small bears and are found almost throughout South America. They owe their name to their flexible, trunk-like nose. Of the three subspecies, only the white-nosed coati is currently allowed to be bred in European zoos. It is not on the EU list of invasive species. "Invasive species that are introduced and displace native species are a major problem. Zoos are doing important educational work here." #coatie #young #newcomer