Coati (Nasua narica)

Photo by J. Rorabaugh, courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service*

Though they are close relatives of the raccoon, coatis are gregarious animals that usually live in social bands. They have long tails and are greyish brown in color with characteristic white markings above and below the eyes as shown in the photo. Coatis have entered the Arizona upland desert from the Chihuahuan desert. Because they seek the cooler high elevation areas they are able forage for food during daylight hours when many animals are sleeping in their dens. By using nose and front paws equipped with strong curved claws, coatis unearth insects, worms, small mammals, and reptiles. They are nimble climbers and can seek safety in trees when necessary. Trees also offer additional menu items such as birds' eggs, berries, and fruits.

The large coati bands that can be found in the Huachuca and Chiricahua mountains are made up of adult females with their young. When the young males reach about two years of age they go off on their own and rejoin the groups only at the breeding season. A full-grown coati is about 40" in length with as much as 20" of that being the characteristic ringed tail which is frequently held straight up as shown in the photo below.

Photo above courtesy the National Park Service,
Saguaro National Park

*To see more Fish and Wildlife Service photos of Arizona Animals click on the Image Library link at Arizona Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: http://arizonaes.fws.gov/