Meet the Curious Coati

BY AWAKE! WRITER IN BRAZIL

YOU are casually strolling through the woods when suddenly you notice a band of coatis coming toward you. Frightened, you wonder if they are about to attack. Relax! While coatis have been known to bite, these curious little animals are only looking at the bag you are carrying. Coatis are always searching for something to eat. In fact, they will devour virtually anything they can find, including worms, lizards, spiders, mice, fruits, and even birds’ eggs.

The coati is related to the raccoon, but it has a longer body and tail as well as a long, flexible snout. Measuring up to 26 inches [66 cm]​—with a tail that is about as long—​this tropical American mammal is mainly found from the southwestern United States to northern Argentina.

Females travel in bands of up to 20, while males are loners. Each year during the mating season, one male joins a band of females. Between seven and eight weeks later, the pregnant females leave the band to build tree nests. Each female will have three or four offspring. About six weeks after giving birth, the new mothers​—along with their young—​rejoin the band. The baby coatis resemble wobbling little fur balls.

Coatis continually sniff the air and dig their claws into the ground as they wander through the woods. They are hardly a welcome sight to farmers, since they can wreak havoc on cornfields and in henhouses. When hunted, the coatis know how to take care of themselves. These cunning little creatures make good use of their hideaways in the trees. They also have another means of escape. At the sound of a shot or of hands clapping, they fall to the ground and play dead! By the time the hunter gets close enough to capture them, they are gone!

The next time you visit Brazil, perhaps you will encounter a band of coatis. If so, do not be frightened. They are not likely to hurt you. But they would certainly not mind if you threw some tasty tidbits in their direction!