White-Nosed Coati Facts
- This remarkable mammal is frequently referred to by the common name of the White-nosed Coati, by those individuals who know of it. It also has yet another common name, though. That’s because some people refer to it by the name of the coatimundi.
- In the primary language of the region of the world in which it appears, however, it’s referred to by several other common names, however. Those include the antoon, the pizote, and the tejón, depending upon the individual’s exact local region.
- Researchers, meanwhile, typically refer to the creature by its formal scientific name. That’s the relatively easy to pronounce term, as such things go, of the Nasua narica. By either term one chooses to use to refer to it, the animal remains a fascinating species.
- The unique animal received its formal name at the hands of the highly renowned Swedish zoologist, botanist, and taxonomist Carl Linnaeus himself. He made the first known formal acknowledgement of it as a separate and distinct species in the year 1766.
- Fortunately, both for it and those who appreciate the marvels of Nature, it seems to be maintaining a population base that’s both sizeable and stable. That situation further holds true thoughout the entirety of its known natural zone of habitation.
- Due to this situation, the IUCN currently lists the White-nosed Coati as Least Concern on its Red List. Given the nature of its habitat, though, the mammal could face threats in the future. These include habitat loss and the looming threat of climate change.
Related Articles
White-Nosed Coati Physical Description
The magnificent White-Nosed Coati classifies as a member of the Procyonidae family, making it a relative of the raccoon. Due to that relationship, the marvelous creature shares many attributes with the raccoon, both physical and in terms of genral behavior.
Physically, however, it displays a larger degree of the physiological characteristic of sexual dimorphism than most of its relatives. In the case of this specific species, that trait manifests itself in terms of sheer physical size, with the genders displaying the same coloring.
More specifically, the males of this fascinating species attain a significantly larger size than their female counterparts. That’s due to the fact that these weigh as much as 27 lb (12.2 kg). The smaller females, meanwhile, frequently weigh as little as 5.5 lb (2.5 kg).
It’s also well known for its over-sized tail. Between the genders, an average body length equals roughly 1.5 – 2 ft (0.46 – 0.91 m). The remarkable tail, though, typically measures around 2 ft (0.91 m) itself! The combination gives the mammal a highly recognizeable look.
The visually memorable creature possesses relatively long, sharp claws, small ears, and an elongated snout. This feature further tilts up at the end. Both genders have a black mask, with white around the nose, eyes, and inside the ears. Its fur has a brownish background.
Mixed in with the brownish fur of the White-Nosed Coati is a mixture of yellow and red on the upper side of the animal. Underneath, though, it displays a lighter brown shade. The tops of its feet and lower legs, meanwhile, usually develop as brownish-black in color.
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Carnivora
- Family: Procyanidae
- Genus: Nasua
- Species: N. narica
White-Nosed Coati Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology
Fortunately for it, the amazing White-Nosed Coati evolved as native to a comparatively extensive swathe of the globe. That’s because it appears in a zone of habitation that includes Central America, as well as portions of both North America and South America, too.
That range extends as far north as the states of New Mexico and Arizona, in the United States. The southern portion of that range, however, extends all the way to the country of Colombia. There, it appears in the northwestern region, near the border with Panama.
A small population, however, also appears in the state of Florida. Experts, however, consider that population grouping to be an artificially introduced one. The time frame for that introduction remains uncertain, though the earliest recorded sight happened in 1928.
This species strongly prefers to inhabit wooded areas. This includes both moist and dry forests. It further appears to not discriminate in terms of altitude. That’s due to the fact that specimens appear at altitudes ranging from sea level to as high as 9,800 ft (3,000 m).
The White-Nosed Coati evolved as omnivorous in its feeding habits. The prickly pear ranks as one of its favorite foods. Otherwise, the animal consumes a rather wide range of prey. This includes varieties of ants, termites, spiders, grubs, beetles, and even scorpions!
It also employs its long, powerful claws to dig for undrground prey. These consist of a wide range of species, including lizrads, rodents, nuts, fruits, snakes, and on occasion carrion. It’s truly opportunistic, showing no great preference, other than the prickly pear.
It’s mostly active in the daylight hours. Males are generally solitary in nature, while females and their young generally move about in packs. These sometimes number as many as 40 individuals. It’s also both a strong swimmer and climber, usually sleping in trees.
Species Sharing Its Range
Check out our other articles on 3 Tantalizing Tasmanian Animals, Spiny Dogfish, Macquarie Island, California red-sided garter snake, Flying Duck Orchid, Mormon Metalmark