Quirky Coatis
Befriending a Troop of “Wild” Coatimundis
Coatimundis (aka coatis) look like a cross between dogs and tiny bears. They are considered close relatives to the infamous trash panda (raccoon) and have fascinating social dynamics! Coatis eat just about anything from insects and worms, to rodents, eggs, berries, tubers, and a wide assortment of other fruits / plants. As far as us humans are aware, troops are comprised exclusively of adult females and juveniles for, upon reaching adulthood, male coatis become downright unruly.
Early in the summer of 2021, a friend and I visited a remote mountain range where he introduced me to a large troop he had met a few years prior. The troop was comprised of approximately 20 individuals, nearly half of whom were young babies! From a distance, we followed the troop as adults dug holes in search of bugs and the babies played, wrestling and chasing one-another up and down branches and across fallen trees. The coatis seemed uncomfortable with our presence, so John and I promptly left them alone as no picture justifies stressing out the subject. Concise though the interaction had been, for me, it was love at first sight!
For the remainder of summer and well into Southern Arizona’s version of autumn, I visited this area as much as possible, camping out in the nearby national forest when possible. Often, however, I would drive the several-hour trek home to Tucson after light had disappeared. Most days, thanks to their loud, destructive nature, the troop was easy enough to find. I had only to look for recently upturned soil or listen for abrupt squeaks and grunts. Once in a while, however, they would vanish without a trace. One particular day, I was feeling a bit perplexed as there seemed to be plenty of berries and water throughout the valley they usually occupied. The mystery was finally solved when I came upon a pile of mountain lion scat….the one creature who might pose a threat to adult coatis!
Upon locating coati friends on any given day, I would pick a cozyish spot some distance away and watch them with the sun at my back. Making my form completely visible, I would simply appreciate the coatimundis and take pictures, no baiting or chasing these brilliant creatures! On extremely happy days, the troop would sometimes meander quite close as they became accustomed to my presence. Calmly saying “hello,” so as to not spook anyone, and moving very slowly, I would occasionally even dig, mimicing their behaviour.
A baby coati gorges down pyracantha berries
Over the course of these two sensational seasons, I watched the entire troop “dog (coati) – pile” in a huge squirming mass of tails and claws. I’ve watched babies engage in 5-participant battle royales which involved yanking one-another out of flimsy tree branches (don’t worry…coatis always land on their feet). I have watched 20 + of these adorable creatures fill enormous pyracantha shrubs, methodically gobbling down every crimson berry within reach. I’ve watched them scale yucca trees, evading the sinister, dagger-like “leaves” to reach the pear-like fruit on top. On several occasions, the coatimundis have foraged so close to my earthy seat that I could see the details of a worm, milliseconds before it disappeared down the hatch. They have engaged in savage disputes. I’ve watched older coatis flip rocks and shred logs in search of bugs. Even among these many magical moments, however, one experience stands out as particularly wondrous.
Like so many previous coati encounters, the troop slowly moved in my direction, eventually surrounding my station as they foraged throughout the wooded clearing. One youngster, especially curious about my story, approached within an arms’ length. He / she sniffed the camera bag and even bit one of the straps. I gently shooed this beautiful baby away and the tiny creature hopped onto a large boulder a short distance from me. The baby coati watched with fascination and, in short order, was joined by one of the adults who promptly began cleaning this wee one, licking and gently nibbling his / her brown fur. Shortly thereafter, another coati clambered up, followed by another and another. In only a few minutes, 6 coatimundis had crowded onto the boulder. They alternated between cleaning and wrestling (adults included), interspersed with casual glances in my direction. I felt pure joy coursing through this body.
Perhaps 10 minutes passed and the magic ended just as daylight began to vanish. The small group vacated the rock, rejoining their companions. After a few minutes, they had moved far enough for me to get up and slowly traipse away, through the forest. My body seemed lighter and I felt a strong sense of gratitude while meandering back to the car. Respect Mother Nature and she will reciprocate, sometimes offering gifts beyond our wildest dreams.
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