Coati, << koh AH tee, >> also called coatimundi << koh AH tee MUHN dee >> , is a member of the raccoon family. It has a long, flexible snout and often carries its long, ringed tail straight up. Coatis live in wooded areas from Arizona southward to northern Argentina. They measure from 16 to 26 inches (41 to 66 centimeters) long, not counting the tail, and weigh from 10 to 15 pounds (4.5 to 6.8 kilograms). Coatis of the dry hills of Arizona have sandy-blond fur. Chocolate-brown coatis live in the rain forest of Panama. South American coatis are reddish-brown.
Coatis eat almost anything they can easily find, including insects, land crabs, snails, spiders, and a variety of fruits. They also eat birds’ eggs, lizards, and mice.
Coatis move about mostly in the daytime and are at home both on the ground and in trees. They are curious, intelligent animals and continually sniff the air and dig into the ground with their claws as they wander through the woods. Females and young coatis travel in bands of 6 to 20 animals, but adult males live alone. The word coatimundi is an Indigenous term meaning “lone coati,” and it actually refers only to the males.
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Each year, one male joins each band for the mating season, which lasts about a month. About 10 or 11 weeks after mating, the pregnant females leave the group. They build tree nests of sticks and leaves and give birth to three or four young. About six weeks later, the mothers and their young rejoin the bands.
