Coatimundi

We come to one of my favorite animals to photograph -- the Coatimundi or White-Nosed Coati. This is a wonderful, curious animal slightly larger than its cousin, the raccoon. Males can weigh up to 27 pounds and 44 inches in length (24 inches of that the tail). The Coati inhabits wooded areas in both dry and wet climates. In Arizona they tend to like riparian areas with access to water. Their range is from Southeast Arizona and Southwest New Mexico, throughout Mexico and Central America to Northwestern Columbia. They are omnivores, preferring small vertebrates, fruits, carrion, insects, and eggs. They can climb trees easily, where the tail is used for balance. I have seen them move from tree top to tree top just like squirrels.  They are most often on the ground foraging. Their predators include boas, raptors bobcats, mountain lions, and jaguars. They readily adapt to human presence; like raccoons, they will raid campsites and trash receptacles (More so in Mexico and Central America). While the raccoon and ringtail are nocturnal, coatis are active day or night. They will sleep  in caves,  high in trees or hallowed out tree trunks that have fallen.  Adult males are solitary, but females and sexually immature males form social groups. Several times I have seen groups of 15-20 of them, although reports of 40 or more exist. They are quite intelligent and can be domesticated easily. This photo was taken in the Galiuro Mountains of Southeasstern Arizona.

Coatimundi