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Ring-tailed coati – Nasua nasua
Ring-tailed coati – Nasua nasua
The ring-tailed coati is a small mammal of the Procyonidae family. It lives mainly in Central and South America, in forests or wooded areas. It spends a lot of time actually in the trees, especially for sleeping or mating.
There are two main species of coatis:
- Nasua narica : brown living further north
- Nasua nasua : which range occupies a large part of South America
While it may look at first to a raccoon with its black mask over its face, it comes off that cousin by an elongated snout and a striped tail almost similar to the length of its body. This bushy animal measures between 40 and 70 cm, females are generally slightly smaller than males and can weigh up to 12 kg. Its coat varies from reddish brown with a white neck instead. Its powerful claws allow it to climb trees easily.
If females and young coatis live in groups, adult males are solitary and do not join the females during the breeding season.
Omnivorous, coati eats insects, crustaceans, eggs, but also very fruits and mushrooms. It primarily uses its snout to dig the ground and look for food in every corner.
The coati mates in February and March, after reaching sexual maturity at 2 years. The expectant mother during her gestation period of about 77 days, built a small shelter away from the group in which it can quietly take care of her offspring, consisting of 2 to 5 small, for 40 days.
If it has its enemies in raptors, large cats and snakes, the main predator of the coati is man. In addition to habitat loss, the coati is often driven and can be used as a pet. It is now not an endangered species, but nevertheless begins to become scarce.
