South American Coati

Nasua nasua

Meet the South American Coati, a curious looking member of the Raccoon Family that is native to the forests of it's namesake continent.

Coatis are gray or brown in color, and have the ringed tails that can also be found in their Raccoon cousins. They are diurnal, and live in groups that can number up to 30 individuals. They feed off of a huge variety of fruits, eggs, and invertebrates, and they use their long noses to help them overturn rocks and plants to find meals.

South American Coatis are both arboreal and terrestrial. They do most of their hunting on the ground, but interestingly they mate and give birth in trees!

Right now, South American Coatis are listed at the Least Concern level, due to their very wide range. However, populations are on the decline as threats of hunting and deforestation continue to affect them.

IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : South America
Size : Length up to 3.3ft (1m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Procyonidae -- Genus : Nasua -- Species : N. nasua

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