9 October 2016 - THE CUTE COATI

THE CUTE COATI

G'day folks,

Here is an animal I've never heard of. The coati, genera Nasua and Nasuella, also known as the coatimundi /koʊˌɑːtᵻˈmʌndi/, hog-nosed coon, Mexican tejón, cholugo, or moncún, Guatemalan and Costa Rican pizote, Colombian cusumbo, and other names, is a member of the raccoon family.

These sociable tree-climbers are of a mischievous nature and have a love for digging. 

Coatis are classed as ‘least concern’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (on the IUCN ‘red list’), but the IUCN estimates that some White-nosed Coati populations in the wild are decreasing. Threats to these populations include habitat loss and illegal poaching. In New Mexico they are classed as an endangered species and are protected.

Coatis belong to the larger raccoon family, which comprises 18 species, all native to the Americas. The White-nosed Coati is native to Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Mexico, Central America and Colombia.

Coatis are omnivorous and are often seen feeding on invertebrates, fruits, small vertebrates (such as lizards and rodents) and eggs. Although coatis are skilled climbers, using their long tails as balancing rods, most foraging is conducted on the ground where they dig among the leaf litter, exposing food.
Male coatis have solitary lives, while the females live in social groups. During the breeding season a dominant male of the area will convince the females to accept him by grooming them. Once the breeding season ends he is driven away by the group, leaving the females to raise the young.

A new mother will typically keep her kittens isolated in her nest for 6 to 10 weeks before rejoining the band. Upon returning to the group, all the adult females cooperate in looking after the young. While mother is away searching for food, the other females will keep an eye on her kittens, providing protection from predators.

 

 

Clancy's comment: They look cute, but those teeth look pretty dangerous as well.

I'm ...