Story By: Michael Leidig, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: CEN
Video Credit: CEN/Daniel Zupanc
This is the moment cute raccoon-like animals called coati are fed at Vienna Zoo after arriving from neighbouring Czech Republic.
With their high-pitched calls these white-nosed coati which are members of the raccoon family are enthusiastic communicators forming strong family groups to look after each other in the wild.
Now the small clan at the world’s oldest zoo in Vienna has doubled in size after the addition of these two young white-nosed coati (Nasua narica) from a zoo in the neighbouring Czech Republic.
Pictures Credit: CEN/Daniel Zupanc
Seen here being introduced to their new clan partners, the female Puppe and male Diego who are just eight months old and therefore relative youngsters have clearly settled in quickly in their new home, enthusiastically hoovering up large grasshoppers and other insects together with their new female clan members Ursel and Bluemchen at feeding time.
Unlike other members of the raccoon family, the white-nosed coati is active during the day meaning there is plenty to see for zoo visitors, and will only develop nocturnal habits in areas when they are living in the wild or threatened by human beings.
Their new cage has plenty of trees as their long claws and raccoon-like tails make them expert climbers, and they will climb a tree at night in order to sleep in safety before emerging again on the day to forage for the grubs and insects that they like to eat.
In the wild they mainly fall prey to snakes, cats and birds of prey, but fortunately here they have nothing to fear and the high-pitched calling they used to communicate with each other rarely includes the warning cries that they would use in the world at first sign of danger.
The animals carer Michaela Hofmann told Central European News (CEN) that unlike their wild relatives they did not need to cling onto the branches at night but had a basket above ground which was certainly more comfortable.
She told CEN: “All four are sleeping together now in the same basket, and have formed a happy unit. The two existing members of our community have welcomed the new arrivals, and Blumchen at 14 years old is very relaxed about everything, while Ursel has taken on the bossy role of controlling the new young arrivals and teaching them the way things are.”
She added that she was also having to win over the trust of the new arrivals, saying that was best done with feeding and they particularly like to eat meat, maggots and grasshoppers.
