Coati

Coatis—also called coatimundis—are day-active members of the raccoon family, Procyonidae, grouped in the genera *Nasua* and *Nasuella* (together forming the subtribe Nasuina). Their name comes from Tupí, and "coatimundi" specifically means "lone coati" in the Tupian languages of Brazil. In Belize, they're locally known as "quash." These mammals are native to South America, Central America, Mexico, and the southwestern United States.

**Physical characteristics** From head to the base of the tail, adult coatis measure 33 to 69 cm (13 to 27 inches). Their tails can be as long as their bodies. They stand about 30 cm (12 inches) tall at the shoulder and weigh between 2 and 8 kg (4.4 to 17.6 pounds)—roughly the size of a large house cat. Males can be nearly twice as big as females and have large, sharp canine teeth. These measurements apply to white-nosed and South American coatis; the two mountain coati species are smaller. All coatis have a slender head with a long, flexible, slightly upturned nose, small ears, dark feet, and a long tail used for balance and signaling (it is not prehensile, unlike the kinkajou's). Their coat is light brown or black with a lighter underside, and most have a tail ringed with white—the rings can be as bold as a raccoon's or very faint, but they go all the way around the tail. Coatis often hold their tails upright to keep groups together in tall vegetation. The tail tip can move slightly on its own. Their paws resemble those of bears and raccoons, and they walk plantigrade (on the soles of their feet, like humans). Their claws are nonretractable, and they can rotate their ankles more than 180°, allowing them to descend trees headfirst—a trait shared with raccoons and other procyonids. The snout is long and pig-like, earning them the nickname "hog-nosed raccoon," and it can rotate up to 60° in any direction. They use it to push objects and rub parts of their body. Facial markings include white around the eyes, ears, and snout. Coatis have strong limbs for climbing and digging and are considered intelligent, like raccoons. Unlike nocturnal raccoons, most coatis are diurnal (though some may be active at irregular times). They sleep or rest in elevated spots, such as rainforest canopy niches, in roughly built sleeping nests.

**Habitat and range** Coatis are widespread, living in hot, arid areas, humid Amazonian rainforests, cold Andean slopes, grasslands, and bushy regions. Their range stretches from the southwestern U.S. (southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas) through northern Uruguay. About 10 coatis are thought to have formed a breeding population in Cumbria, UK.

**Taxonomy** Recognized species include: *Nasua narica* (white-nosed coati, from the southwestern U.S. through Colombia), *Nasua nasua* (South American coati), *Nasuella meridensis* (eastern mountain coati, Venezuela), and *Nasuella olivacea* (western mountain coati, Colombia and Ecuador). The Cozumel Island coati was once considered a separate species but is now widely treated as a subspecies of the white-nosed coati (*N. narica nelsoni*). Genetic evidence (cytochrome b sequences) suggests merging *Nasuella* into *Nasua*, as the latter is otherwise paraphyletic. Other genetic studies show coatis' closest relatives are olingos (genus *Bassaricyon*), with the two lineages diverging about 10.2 million years ago.

**Lifespan** In the wild, coatis live up to seven years. In captivity, the average lifespan is about 14 years, with some living into their late teens.

**Feeding habits** Coatis are omnivores. Their diet mainly includes ground litter, invertebrates (like tarantulas), and fruit. They also eat small vertebrates such as lizards, rodents, small birds, birds' eggs, and crocodile eggs. Their snout, with a keen sense of smell, helps them unearth invertebrates in a hog-like manner.

**Behaviour** Little is known about mountain coati behavior; most information comes from *Nasua* species. Unlike most raccoon family members, coatis are primarily diurnal. Female *Nasua* coatis and young males up to two years old are social, traveling in noisy, loosely organized bands of four to 25 individuals, foraging on the ground or in the canopy. Males over two years become solitary due to their own behavior and aggression from females, rejoining groups only during breeding season. When provoked, coatis fight fiercely—their strong jaws, sharp canine teeth, fast scratching paws, and tough hide make them hard for predators (like dogs or jaguars) to seize. They communicate with chirping, snorting, or grunting sounds; different chirps express joy during social grooming, appeasement after fights, or irritation or anger.