South American Coati

The Red coati (Nasua nasua) is a small mammal native to South America. It is found in tropical forests, wooded savannas, and mountainous areas, from Venezuela to Argentina. It is part of the same family as the Raccoon, with which it shares a mobile snout and very skilled little hands.

Classified as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN, Coati still maintains stable populations. Its great ability to adapt allows it to live in different environments, even modified by humans. A good climber and a good burrower, it maintains an important place in tropical ecosystems by regulating insects and small animals and by dispersing seeds.

The Red Coati measures between 40 and 70 cm, with a striped tail that is almost as long as its body. Its elongated snout allows it to search the ground, trunks or rocks in search of insects, fruits or small vertebrates. Omnivorous, it eats what it finds: fruits, eggs, eggs, invertebrates, small reptiles and sometimes rodents.

Unlike many small carnivores, the coati is diurnal. It is often seen moving in groups, especially among females and young. Adult males, on the other hand, live more often alone. This organization allows the group to identify predators, such as the jaguar or the ocelot, and to protect the youngest.

At the Guadeloupe Zoo, the red coati lives near the Red panda (at the second viewpoint at the end of the course). Its curiosity and activity during the day easily catch the eye of visitors.