South American Coati - Nasua nasua

South American Coati (Nasua nasua)

South American Coati, Manaus, Brazil, June 2001 - click for larger image

Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
June 2001

Coatis are members of the racoon family and the South American Coati is found in South America east of the Andes from Colombia to northern Argentina. They live in a wide variety of habitats from scrub to rain forest.

Females and youngsters can be found in large groups while males tend to be solitary except in the breeding season. They are both terrestial and arboreal and, when a group is on the ground, often the only visible signs are the distinctive ringed tails held vertically appearing above the ground vegetation.

Coatis are omnivorous and climb trees to eat fruit when in season as well as foraging on the ground for invertebrates and small animals.

There are illustrations in Eisenberg & Redford, Plate 17; and Emmons, Plate 15.

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