Coati (Nasua narica)

MammalAmericasSociable

Overview

Coatis are slender, active mammals of the Americas, easily recognised by their long, flexible, upturned snout and a long ringed tail usually carried straight up like a flag. They belong to the raccoon family (Procyonidae) and are close relatives of the raccoon and kinkajou. The white-nosed coati (Nasua narica), shown here, ranges from the southern United States through Central America; other coatis live across much of South America.

Coatis are famously busy, inquisitive animals. Unusually for the raccoon family, they are mainly active by day, and the females and youngsters live together in chatty, roving bands — a sociable lifestyle quite unlike their solitary raccoon cousins.

Note: “coati” covers several species; details here use the white-nosed coati as a reference. Treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Coatis live in a wide range of wooded habitats across the Americas — tropical and subtropical forests, woodlands, scrub, and mountain forests — from the southwestern United States and Mexico through Central America and much of South America. They are equally at home on the ground and in the trees, foraging on the forest floor and climbing to rest, feed, and sleep.

Diet

Coatis are omnivores with a varied, opportunistic diet. They use that long, sensitive snout to root through leaf litter and soil for invertebrates — insects, grubs, spiders, and the like — and they also eat fruit, small vertebrates, eggs, and other foods. Strong claws help them dig and tear into rotten wood, and their flexible nose and nimble paws make them skilled foragers in both the litter and the canopy.

Behavior

Coati social life is distinctive: adult females and their young live in cohesive bands that can number from a handful to a couple of dozen animals, foraging and travelling together with much chattering and tail-signalling, while adult males are generally solitary and join the bands mainly to breed. They are mostly diurnal, agile climbers, and use their upturned tails to keep the group in visual contact through vegetation. Coatis are alert and vocal, with a variety of calls to coordinate the band and warn of danger. They are wild animals and, despite looking tame where used to people, can scratch or bite.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Coatis are common and adaptable, and in some parks and tourist areas they become bold around people and food — which is best discouraged, since feeding wild coatis is unhealthy for them and can lead to bites or scratches. They are hunted in places and affected by habitat loss, but overall remain widespread. Observe them at a respectful distance and never hand-feed them. Consult the IUCN Red List for species-specific status.

More photos of the coati