White-Nosed Coati

Nasua narica

The white-nosed coati (Nasua narica) is a member of the raccoon family native from the southwestern United States through Mexico and Central America into parts of northwestern South America. A long mobile snout, pale facial markings, strong claws, and a high ringed tail make it easy to recognize. Females and young usually travel in noisy foraging bands, while mature males spend much of the year alone. Coatis root through leaf litter and soil for insects, grubs, fruit, eggs, and small vertebrates, so they are both hunters and opportunistic scavengers.

Zoos keep white-nosed coatis in active exhibits with climbing routes, diggable substrate, scent trails, and food hidden in logs or puzzle feeders. Private keeping is legal in some areas, but adults can bite hard, raid cupboards, dig under fences, and become difficult to place if hand-raised without boundaries. Enclosures need secure tops and buried barriers because coatis climb and excavate. In wild settings near parks, lodges, and campgrounds, the best stewardship is not feeding them; habituated coatis lose fear of people and are more likely to be injured or removed.