This is a white-nosed coati. It is a relative of the raccoon. As is apparent from this photo, coatis are active during the day, whereas raccoons and olingos are nocturnal. Coatis are 45 to 70 cm (18 to 27 in.) long, plus their long tails. They can be found both on the ground, as seen here, or in trees. They live in both wet and dry forests throughout Costa Rica, although we see more olingos than coatis. Sometimes we can see them from the balcony/patio of our condo, shown in yesterday's photo, as they walk in the grassy lawn between the condo and the beach.
The white-nosed coati has the scientific name nasua narica, and is known locally as a pizote.
10 comments:
This is a great shot of this cute little animal. I remember seeing a couple of these when Julie and I did our long hike.
Do they have the same temperament as raccoons?
Nice shot of this cute creature. I've seen these in the zoo before but it must be great to see them in a natural habitat. It has such a long tail!
I have never seen such animal:) Thanks:)
My wife and I have booked travels to Tamarindo, and in doing research I have found your blog postings mots helpful and encouraging. We're staying at the Diria, and reading your feedback on the place puts us very much at ease. Both my wife and I were born in Costa Rica,but have resided in Texas most of our lives now. I last visited Tamarindo back in 92, and knew the town had grown "a bit" since then. We're looking forward to our trip. Thanks again for your insightful and beautifully written blog.
Pura vida,
Bernardo from Houston
cute animal... I am going to be visiting Costa Rica for 2 weeks over xmas..if you have any time to tell what you consider to be the highlights would much appreciate it..
Brattcat,
You asked about the temperament of the coatis. They do not seem to be scavengers as much as raccoons, as you can seen raccoons going through trash at times.
The coatis when exposed to people can become accustomed to begging for food if people start feeding them. In the past I posted a photo of a group of about a dozen coatis that were begging for food from a car stopped along the side of the road because apparently the people in the car had given them the impression that they would offer some food.
Bernardo from Houston,
Thank you for your comment. If you have not been to Tamarindo since 1992, you will be very surprised by the massive differences. But the beach, ocean and sunsets will be the same, thank goodness.
I am glad that my posts have left you reassured about your plans to stay at the Diria. It is a fine hotel. On our first trip to Costa RIca, my wife and I stayed at the Diria upon the recommendation of a travel agent. We liked it so much that we bought a condo in a new building on the grounds of the Diria on which construction was about to start. We later bought a second condo when one became available right on the ocean in Playa Langosta, in a building built by the developer of the Diria.
You will love your stay at the Diria. It has the largest and best beachfront location of any hotel in town. It is right in the heart of the best area of the beach for swimming.
Catherine,
The first time we visited Costa Rica, it was for two weeks over the Christmas and New Year's holiday. For the highlights I would recommend Monteverde, Arenal, Tamarindo and perhaps Manuel Antonio.
Monteverde will give you an appreciation of the mountainous cloud forest central part of the country. There are eco-tourism attractions in that area to provide opportunities to view wildlife.
Arenal volcano is a spectacular lifetime experience to see if you are there on a clear night and see the nighttime eruptions.
Tamarindo is a beach resort that provides an ideal place to enjoy the ocean and relax, but also has tourist amenities for wildlife tours, zip lines, etc. nearby.
Manuel Antonia is a national park on the central Pacific coast that is known for wildlife.
such a cute critter and i love the long tail
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