South American Coati

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The South American Coati has a red-brown to grey coat, with lighter or even with underparts. The short, powerful feets are black and it has a black to brown tail with yellow rings. The narrow, elongated head ends in a very flexible snout which it pokes under rocks and into crevices in search for food. The ears are small and rounded. The head-body length of this species is 41 to 67 cm, with a tail length of 32 to 69 cm and they weight from 3,5 to 6 kg.

Coatis are diurnal terrestrial and arboreal. Males are often solitary, females and young travel in groups of up to 30 animals. Members of active groups emit constant soft whining sounds. Alarm calls consist of explosive woofs and clicks. When alarmed, all members of a group climb halfway up a tree to look. After a few moments they drop down and disperse in the undergrowth. At night, coatis sleep in a tree top.

Coatis are opportunistic omnivorous feeders eating fruit, invertebrates and small vertebrates.

Did you know?
that coatis are so adapted to arboreal life that they even mate in the trees, and build nests for their young among the branches?

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	CARNIVORA
Suborder	FISSIPEDIA
Family	PROCYONIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Nasua nasua
Name (English)	South American Coati
Name (French)	Coati roux, Coati à queue annelée
Name (German)	Südamerikanischen Nasenbären
Name (Spanish)	Coatí de América del Sur, Coatí común
Local names	Brazil: Cuati, Cuatimundé, Colombia: Cuzumbo, Ecuador: Tejón, Peru: Achuni, Suriname: Neusbeer, Kwaskwasi
CITES Status	Appendix III (Uruguay)
CMS Status	Not listed

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Quartl

Distribution

Distribution
Range	South America east of the Anndes in all countries from Colombia and Venezuela south to Argentina and Uruguay
Habitat	Usually found in forested areas: tropical rainforest, riverine forest, mountain forest up to 2500 m above sea level.
Wild population	Unknown, but decreasing (Red List IUCN 2011)
Zoo population	638 reported to ISIS (2007)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 78 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Vassil

Why do zoos keep this animal

The South-American coati is a common species, which is frequently kept by zoos because it is diurnal, social, and always very active, i.e. an attractive zoo animal, which is a good ambassador species for the conservation of neotropical forests.

How this animal should be kept

Coatis should be kept in pairs or groups of compatible animals. They are kept in outdoor enclosures usually confined by moats, walls, or glass panels of at least 1.4 m height. Also electrified chain-link fences may be used. For a pair, a minimum surface of 40 m² is required, for each additional adult 10 % more. If kept in a cage, minimum height should be 3 m. A den should be provided for each animal. In cold and temperate climates also an indoor enclosure is required where a minimum temperature of 15°C should be maintained.

Live or dead trees or thick branches branches should provide climbing opportunities. The enclosure should, ideally be planted with bushes and live trees, and the soil should be grass covered, alternatively substrates such as bark chips may be used.

Fresh water must be available to all animals at all times of day. Food components include mice, one-day old chicks and minced meat, fruit and vegetables.