Brown-nosed coati

What do brown-nosed coatis look like? 

Coatis are members of the racoon family. Brown-nosed coatis - also known as South American coatis - have brown, grey or rust-red coats and a long brown and yellow ringed tail which they use to balance as they climb and walk across slim branches.

They have a narrow skull and long squidgy nose that they can snuffle for food in crevices with. They also have a dark snout with white patches around their cheeks, eyes and neck. Amazingly they can reverse their ankle joints in order to run down trees head first!

What do brown-nosed coatis eat? 

As opportunistic feeders, coatis eat whatever is available to them depending on the season. This includes a variety of fruit and invertebrates like spiders, crabs and millipedes. They will also eat lizards, snakes, eggs and rodents. 

In a way, coatis act as farmers in the forest, picking and eating fruit and then dispersing seeds in their droppings – effectively planting new fruit trees.

What threats do brown-nosed coatis face in the wild?

Coatis are currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, but face the threat of habitat loss due to deforestation. These animals are also hunted by locals for their meat.