South American Coati

Description

The South American Coati, Nasua nasua, is a member of the raccoon family (Procyonidae) and is usually easily recognised by its reddish-brown fur, long banded tail and dark elongated snout. It is also known as the ring-tailed coati, though the rings on the tail may be quite weak. The fur colouration may also vary: there are many subspecies.

The name ‘Coati’ comes from native American Indian words cua, meaning ‘belt’ and tim, meaning ‘nose’, referring to the way coatis tuck their nose into their belly while sleeping. Its scientific name, Nasua, comes from the Latin word for ‘nose’, referring to its long snout.