Ahh the Coatimundi, considered to be in the raccoon family looks like a dog raccoon ant eater mix thingy to me. That's a technical term. :) They are also called by the names: Hog-nosed Coon, Snookum Bear, and Brazilian Aardvark. This native of the southern North American and South American continents is diurnal, meaning it is a day time creature. There are types of coati, the White-nosed which can be found in on both continents and the Brown-nosed which is exclusive to the southern continent.
The coati live in larger groups of up to 30 members which are referred to as bands. At night they sleep in the treetops in nests of trees and branches. Coati can grow up to 2 feet long and even have a 2 foot tail on top of that. Sometimes the tail can be longer than the body. They are also known to walk with their tails straight up in the air like a marmoset. It lives in trees and on the ground, it also has double jointed ankles which allow it to climb down from trees head first.
Coati are omnivores, they eat fruit, insects and small animals. Coati have a very good sense of smell. Their nose like a hog wood going through the brush seeking insects and larvae.
Coati live 7-10 years in the wild and can live up to 17 years in captivity. They reach maturity at 2 years of age and have a gestation period of 77 days. A female coati will give birth to between 3-5 young at a time. When you see a larger Band of Coati they are typically females and young. Males usually come around during the mating season.
Coati are not only inquisitive but also quite playful with one another. Here is what a baby coati looks and sounds like!
Cute as a button eh? We have Coatimundi at Timbavati Wildlife Park as well. Here are Alice and Mark with more fun facts about the Coatimundi.
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