Coati feeding at Tbilisi Zoo

The coati, or coatimundi (Nasua Nasua) is a medium-sized mammal only found in North, Central and South America.

The coatis has an elongated nose (which is slightly up-turned), small ears, dark feet, and a long bushy tail with dark rings. They are related to the raccoon, and are also called hog-nosed raccoon because their nose looks like a pig’s snout. They have bear-like paws, with non-retractable claws.

There are four different species of coati, two of which, the Ring-tailed Coati and the Mountain Coati, are found in South America, and the remaining two coati species, the White-nosed Coati and the Cozumel Island Coati, are both found in Mexico. They are widespread across America.

The Ring-tailed Coati has thick, tan coloured fur and black bands running along it's tail. The Mountain Coati is also the smallest species of coati and is sometimes called the Dwarf Coati. The White-nosed Coati is the largest species of coati with some individuals growing to nearly 120 cm in length.

Female coatis live in groups of between 10 and 30 individuals, known as a band. The male coati is a solitary animal and only comes together with the females to mate.

The coati is omnivorous animal, eating both plants and meat. They grow to 33-60 centimetres (13-24 inches) and live for about 7-8 years in the wild and about 15-16 years in captivity. They generally have 4-6 young with a gestation period of about 77 days.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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