Coatis, genera
Nasua and
Nasuella, also known as Brazilian aardvarks, Mexican
tejon,hog-nosed coons, and snookum bears, are members of the
raccoon family (
Procyonidae). They are diurnal mammals native to
South,
Central, and south-western
North America. The word "coatimundi" ( ) is a
commonly used misnomer applied to solitary adult males of
N.
nasua. The term is reported to be derived from the
Tupi language (Brazil).
Physical characteristics
Adult coatis measure 33 to 69 cm (13 to 27 inches) from head
to the base of the tail, which can be as long as their bodies.
Coatis are about 30 cm (12 inches) tall at the shoulder, and
weigh between 3 and 8 kg (between 6 and 18 pounds), about the
size of a large
housecat. Males can become
almost twice as large as females and have large, sharp canine
teeth.
All coatis share a slender head with an elongated, flexible,
slightly upward-turned nose, small ears, dark feet, and a long,
non-
prehensile tail used for balance
and signaling.
Ring-tailed coatis have either a light brown or black coat, with a
lighter under-part and a white-ringed tail in most cases. Coatis
have a long brown tail with rings on it which are anywhere from
starkly defined like a raccoon's to very faint. Like the raccoons
and unlike ringtails and cacomistles, the rings go completely
around the tail. Coatis often hold the tail erect, and it used as
such to keep troops of coatis together in tall vegetation. The tip
of the tail can be moved a bit on its own, as is the case with
cats, but it is not prehensile as is that of the
kinkajou, another procyonid.
Coatis have bear- and raccoon-like paws, and coatis, raccoons, and
bears walk
plantigrade (on the soles of
the feet, as do people). Coatis have non-retractable claws. Coatis
also have in common with raccoons and other procyonids (and others
in the order Carnivora and rare cases amongst other mammals)
double-jointed and ankles rotatable beyond 180° and therefore the
ability to descend trees head-first. Other animals living in
forests have acquired some or all of these properties through
convergent evolution, including
members of the
mongoose,
civet, ferret-skunk, cat, and bear families. Some of
these animals walk on the toes of the front paws and soles of the
back paws.
The coati snout is long and somewhat pig-like and extremely
flexible and can be rotated up to 60 degrees in any direction, the
former being part of the reason for its nickname the hog-nosed
raccoon. The nose is utilized to push objects and rub parts of
their body.
The facial markings include white markings around the eyes and on
the ears and snout.
Coatis have strong limbs to climb and dig, and have a reputation
for intelligence, like their fellow
procyonid the raccoon.
They prefer to sleep or rest in elevated places and niches, like
the
rainforest canopy, in crudely-built sleeping
nests.
Habitat and range
Coati species are widespread, occupying habitats ranging from hot
and arid areas to humid
Amazonian
rainforests or even cold
Andean mountain
slopes, including grasslands and bushy areas.
Their geographical
range extends from southern Arizona
in the
USA
through northern Argentina
, and they are often seen in Costa Rica
and Mexico
. The
following species have been scientifically described:
The coati species cited above have different geographical
occurrences and can be told apart by their size, build, voice, and
their hide colour. Some authorities also recognize a fourth species
of coati within the species
Nasua, Wedel's Coati
(
Nasua wedeli).
Genetic studies have shown that the closest relatives of the coatis
are the
olingos.
Lifespan
In the wild, coatis live for about 7 to 8 years, while in captivity
they can live for up to 15 years.
Feeding habits
Coatis are
omnivores; their diet consists
mainly of ground litter
invertebrates
and fruit (Alves-Costa et al. 2004, 2007, Hirsch 2007). They also
eat small vertebrate prey, such as
lizards,
rodents, small
birds, and
bird's eggs. The snout, with a formidable sense of smell, assists
the skilled paws in a hog-like manner to unearth
invertebrates.
Behavior
Unlike most members of the
raccoon family
(
Procyonidae), coatis are primarily
diurnal. Coati females and young males up
to 2 years of age are gregarious and travel through their
territories in noisy, loosely-organized bands made up of 4 to 25
individuals, foraging with their offspring on the ground or in the
forest's canopy. Males over 2 years become solitary due to
behavioural disposition and collective aggression from the females,
and will join the female groups only during the breeding
season.
When provoked, or for defense, coatis can be fierce fighters: their
strong jaws, sharp canine teeth, and fast scratching paws, along
with a tough hide sturdily attached to the underlying muscles, make
it very difficult for predators (e.g. dogs, jaguars) to seize the
small mammal.
Coatis communicate their intentions or moods with chirping,
snorting, or grunting sounds. Different chirping sounds are used to
express joy during social grooming, appeasement after fights, or to
convey irritation or anger. Snorting while digging, along with an
erect tail, states territorial or food claims during
foraging.
Coatis additionally use special postures or moves to convey simple
messages; for example, hiding the nose between the front paws as a
sign for submission; lowering the head, baring teeth, and jumping
at an enemy signal an aggressive disposition.
Individuals recognize other coatis by their looks, voices, and
smells, the individual smell is intensified by special
musk-glands on their necks and bellies.
Coatis
from Panama
are known to
rub their own fur and that of other troop members with resin from
Trattinnickia aspera trees. The purpose of this fur
rubbing is unclear. Some possibilities that have been proposed are
that it serves as an insect repellent, a fungicide, or as a form of
scent-marking.
Reproduction
Coatis' breeding season mainly corresponds with the start of the
rainy season to coincide with maximum availability of food,
especially fruits: between January and March in some areas, and
between October and February in others. During the breeding season,
an adult male is accepted into the band of females and juveniles
near the beginning of the breeding season, leading to a polygynous
mating system.
The pregnant females separate from the group, build a nest on a
tree or in a rocky niche and, after a gestation period of about 11
weeks, give birth to
litters of 3 to
7 young. About six weeks after birth, the females and their young
will rejoin the band. Females become sexually mature at 2 years of
age, while males will acquire sexual maturity at 3 years of age.
Members of the coati band will follow the pregnant female and eat
the young that are born.
Natural enemies
Natural enemies include
jaguarundis,
foxes,
tayras,
ocelots,
jaguars,
hawks,
eagles, and
humans .
White-faced
capuchin monkeys also hunt their pups.
Status
Coatis face unregulated hunting and the serious threat of
environmental destruction in Central and South America. The absence
of scientifically sound population studies of Nasua or Nasuella in
the wild is probably leading to a severe underestimation of the
ecological problems and decline in numbers affecting the species in
Central and South America.
Successful adaptation to life in human proximity (e.g. similar to
raccoons living in metropolitan areas in the U.S.) is very
unlikely; the species is thus threatened by habitat
destruction.
Coatis in captivity
Coatis are one of four types of procyonids commonly kept as pets in
various parts of North, Central, and South America, the others
being the
raccoon (Common and Crab-Eating),
the
kinkajou, and
ringtail or
cacomistle
(also known as the miner's cat and ring-tailed cat).
Coatis are small creatures that can be wild, somewhat difficult to
control or train in some cases, and generally behave in a manner
radically different from that of a pet dog. Optimally they should
have a spacious outdoor enclosure and a coati-proofed room in the
house and/or other climate-controlled place as well. They can be
given the run of the house but need careful watching, more careful
in some cases than others.
It is possible to litter or toilet-train coatis; if one cannot be
trained as such it is still possible to lessen problems in that
they tend to designate a latrine area which can have a litter pan
place in/under it as is done with many
ferrets,
pet skunks,
rabbits, and rodents.
Coatis generally need both dog and cat vaccines for distemper and
many other diseases and a killed rabies vaccine. They can be spayed
or neutered for the same reason as cats and dogs and other
pets.
Gallery
Image:DirkvdM coati.jpg|White-nosed Coati at
Corcovado
National Park
, Costa RicaImage:5287_aquaimages.jpg|White-nosed
Coati at Tikal
,
GuatemalaImage:coati.arp.jpg|South American Coati
Nasua
nasua in an English zooImage:nasuanarica1.jpg|White-nosed
Coati in Rincón de la Vieja National Park, Costa
RicaImage:coati-iguazu.jpg|South American Coati near Iguazu Falls,
Brazil
Image:Coatis-in-trash.jpg|Coatis foraging in
trash near Christ the Redeemer 
, BrazilImage:Hike09.jpg|White-nosed Coati on
Mt.
Hopkins near Madera Canyon
, ArizonaImage:Coati2008.JPG|Coati from zoo
in Czech republic
Image:MexicanCoati.jpg|Coati foraging in
Playa del
Carmen
, Mexico
References
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