Coati Facts: The Raccoon Cousin That Climbs Down Headfirst
Imagine a raccoon stretched out with a longer nose, a longer tail and a busier social calendar. That is the coati, a curious omnivore of the forests of Central and South America. Watch our coati work through fresh grapes and a fruit slice, then read on to see why that funny snout is a serious tool.
Watch Coati at Snack Time Zoo:
A Snout That Works Like a Shovel
A coati's long snout is flexible and packed with scent receptors, and the coati pushes it into leaf litter, soil and rotten logs to root out insects, worms and fallen fruit. The nose wiggles and bends as it works, almost like a tiny elephant trunk. Combined with strong claws for digging, it turns the forest floor into an all-day buffet.
Life in a Band
Female coatis and their young live together in groups called bands, which can hold 20 animals or more. A band travels, forages and naps together, and the adults take turns watching for danger while the others feed. Adult males live mostly alone outside the breeding season, which earned them the nickname coatimundi, once thought to mean a completely different animal.
Ankles That Spin Backwards
Most climbers have to back down a tree tail-first, but not a coati. Its ankle joints can rotate far enough that it can climb down headfirst, watching exactly where it is going. That same flexibility helps it scramble along branches and drop neatly to the ground when a tasty smell drifts up from below.
A Ringed Tail Held High
A coati's tail is nearly as long as its body, marked with faint rings and usually carried straight up like a flag. The tail is not able to grip branches, but it works as a balancing pole while the coati walks along narrow limbs. A line of coatis crossing the forest, tails up, looks like a parade of question marks.
Quick Summary
The coati (Nasua nasua), also called the South American or ring-tailed coati, is a raccoon relative whose flexible snout, band-based social life and rotating ankles make it one of the most acrobatic foragers in the Americas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a coati related to a raccoon?
Yes. Coatis and raccoons both belong to the procyonid family, along with kinkajous and ringtails. The coati is like a daytime, long-nosed, South American version of its famous cousin.
What does a coati eat?
Almost everything it can find: insects, grubs, eggs, small animals and lots of fruit. In our video the snack is fresh grapes and a fruit slice, a very typical coati treat.
Why does a coati hold its tail up?
For balance. The long, ringed tail works like a tightrope walker's pole as the coati moves along branches, and holding it upright keeps it clear of the ground while foraging.
Do coatis live in groups?
Females and young do, in bands of up to 20 or more. Adult males are mostly solitary and only join the bands during the breeding season.