The Coati

The ringtailed coatimundi, or coati, is distributed throughouth the forested woodlands and scrubby arid habitats from southeastern Arizona to northern Argentina and Uruguay. A medium sized carnivore, the coati stands about 10-12 inches at the shoulders, weighs 9-20 pounds, has a body length of 24 inches and an equally long tail. Males are generally larger than females and both have coarse reddish-brown to blackish hair on the top of the body with creamy to dark-brown underneath, highlighted by a whitish fur on the chin muzzle and throat. Black and grey markings are present on the face and the tail is banded with concentric circles. The muzzle is long and upturned at the snout, the tip being extremely flexable and well adapted for investigating crevices and holes. The forelegs are short and very strong with long claws protruding from the highly sensative feet. The hind legs are short, when compared to the front limbs, and the tail is exceptionally long. Coati ankles are extremely flexable and allow for the reversal of the joints, enabling them to descend trees head first.

South American coatis are found mainly in wooded areas where they are primarily insectivorous, although they will eat fruits and berries when available. Foraging in the trees, as well as on the ground, they use their somewhat prehensile tail for balance while searching out insects. Keeping their noses close to the ground, they sniff the leaf litter of the forest floor, the area around rotting logs and rocky crevices for beetles, worms, grubs, ants, termites, scorpions, centipedes and other juicy insects. Coatis from the northern regions are omnivorous. Small mammals, anphibians and reptiles make up a large portion of the diet in areas where these prey are abundant. While moving along searching for food, coatis usually carry the tail erect, except for the curled tip.

Female coatis and their young associate in bands of 4 to 20 individuals, with adult males being solitary. This social structure appears to benefit the band by acting as a protective grouping to guard the juveniles and allowing the young of individual females to play together. The social structure is enforced by communal grooming when all members of the band pick and clean foreign substances from eachothers coats. In February and March the the most dominate of the solitary males, living near the center of the band's range, gradually attaches himself to the band. Although he is completely subordinate to the females, in the social structure of the band, he breeds with each of the females as they come into season. Mating generally occurs in a tree or other elevated structure, and soon afterwards the male is expelled from the band by the females. Two to three weeks before giving birth, female coatis leave the band and begin to construct nest of sticks, branches and leaves in a secluded area, and often in trees. Litters of three to five poorly developed young, weighing only three to six ounces, are born after a gestation of about 75 days. They are born blind with their eyes opening in about 12 days. At the age of six weeks they have begun to explore the area around the nest and by four months are completely weaned. They attain sexual maturity at an age of about two years.