Mollie Rolfe took this photo of the Coatis at Tikal in Guatemala. They were almost as mobile as monkeys in the big trees.
I enjoyed watching the coatis just as much as much as climbing the ruins, in fact.
The name coati is applied to any of three species of small neotropical mammals in the genus Nasua, family Procyonidae, ranging from southern Arizona to north of Argentina. They are largely insectivorous, but also eat fruit. A fourth animal, the dwarf Mountain Coati, is not a true coati, and belongs to the genus Nasuella. Genetic studies have shown that the closest relatives of the coatis are the olingos.
Distinctive features of all species of coati include a long, ringed tail, which is often held erect.
Unlike most members of the raccoon family, coatis are primarily diurnal.
Coati have long, pointed muzzles, and long, bushy, ringed tails, and brownish fur. They range in size from 13 to 27 inches including their tails, which can be just as long as their bodies. They weigh from 7 to 15 pounds. Males are larger than females.
They must be related to the ringtails that brazenly marauded our campsite in the Baja.
Watching unusual wildlife is one of the great joys of the wilderness.
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