Binghamton Zoo Animals

Coatimundi (Coati)

(Nasua Narica)
Order: Carnivora
Family: Procynidae
Genus: Nasua
Species: Nasua narica

HABITAT AND RANGE: Coatis are frequently found in dense, wet forests where groups have fixed territories of up to 125 acres. They are also seen in rocky wooded canyons, mountain forests and river forests. They range from Central and South America to the southwestern regions of the United States, including Arizona, Mexico and Texas.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Coatis normally weigh between 8 and 13 pounds. Their most striking feature is a highly mobile, upturned and elongated snout. They also have a distinctive ringed tail, which is 20 to 25 inches long. The tail is often held erect above the body and is used for balance and climbing. They have a slender, long head with small, rounded ears. Coloration varies greatly, ranging from cinnamon brown to chocolate gray with some white markings on the ears and snout. Their fur is rough-textured and their feet have naked soles. They have protruding, dagger-like canines and a formidable set of 40 teeth.

ADAPTATIONS: Unlike most of their relatives, which include raccoons, kinkajous and red pandas, Coatis are most active during the day; often they will take an afternoon nap, however. The females and young live in highly social groups, which consist of between 5 and 40 individuals. Males are solitary except during the mating season. Early biologists were confused by these living arrangements and thought the solitary males were a separate species. This is how the species have two names, “Coati” and “Coatimundi”. The latter is the native word for “lone coati”. Troupes of Coatis cooperate in foraging, grooming and chasing predators. There is much grooming and play within the group. They are also very vocal, with distinctive barking sounds used to warn others.

DIET: Coatis are omnivorous. They prey heavily on insects, hunting down any they find until they catch them. They will, however, eat almost anything: mice, rats, eggs, beetles, scorpions, insects, worms, fruits and seeds. Often a group of Coatis will find a fruit-bearing tree, such as a Manzanita or a Prickly Pear, and visit the tree daily until it is stripped.

REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: The maternity den may be made in a hollow tree or in a cave in the rocks. The male Coati is polygamous and only joins the group to mate. The mating season is from January to March and the babies are born after a gestation period of about 77 days. Four to 6 blind, furred babies are born. The coats of the babies are darker than that of the adults. In about 18 days, the eyes of the young open and in another 3 to 4 months, the young are capable of caring for themselves. The females in the troupe share responsibility for tending and guarding the young. This allows them to bring their young down from the nest 6 to 10 weeks earlier than other procynids. The young males leave the band when they become sexually mature at the age of two. In the wild, Coatis live to be 7 or 8 years old, but can live up to 15 years in captivity.

STATUS IN WILD: Enemies of the Coati are the fox, jaguar, ocelot, boa constrictors, margay, and, of course, humans. In their habitat, they are often hunted for their meat. The coati faces unregulated hunting and the serious threat of environmental destruction in Central and South America. It is unlikely that the Coati will be able to adapt to encroaching civilization as their relative, the raccoons, have; therefore, species is threatened by habitat destruction.