14 interesting coati facts
- Coatis' breeding season mainly corresponds with the start of the rainy season to coincide with maximum availability of food, especially fruits: between January and March in some areas, and between October and February in others.
- Coati is a neo-tropical mammal that resides in the North, Central and South America, at an elevation of 3500 meters above the sea level.
- During the breeding season, an adult male is accepted into the band of females and juveniles near the beginning of the breeding season, leading to a polygynous mating system.
- Coati possesses brown, black or rust colored coat, with white nose, white ringed tail and white spots above and below each eye.
- The pregnant females separate from the group, build a nest on a tree or in a rocky niche and, after a gestation period of about 11 weeks, give birth to litters of 3 to 7 young.
- The coati has a slim body, with dark feet, flexible snout, slender head, upward-turning nose, small ears and long tail, which helps it in balancing and signaling during movements.
- Natural enemies include jaguarundis, foxes, tayras, ocelots, jaguars, hawks, eagles, and humans. White-faced capuchin monkeys also hunt their pups.
- The mating season of the animal starts from January and ends in March, during which the males compete with each other for a group of females,by leaving scents of urine and musk.
- Coatis are small creatures that can be wild, somewhat difficult to control or train in some cases, and generally behave in a manner radically different from that of a pet dog.
- Coatis rest in elevated places and niches, like the rainforest canopy.
- Coatis generally need both dog and cat vaccines for distemper and many other diseases and a killed rabies vaccine. They can be spayed or neutered for the same reason as cats and dogs and other pets.
- A female coati leaves the band to give birth in a tree nest and tree trunk cavities and then rejoins it later, with the young ones.
- If coatis are provoked or they sense danger, they become fierce fighters and start using their sharp canine teeth, strong jaws, and fast scratching paws, making it almost impossible for predators to grab the small mammals.
- A coati communicates through sounds of chirping, snorting, or grunting, to display its intention or moods.
