Here is another photo of a coati, the animal that I showed about a week ago for the "mystery object" theme on Oct. 1. This is a different coati than the one on the rock I showed previously. He was walking across a grassy area next to the golf course.This shows a coati in a typical activity of foraging around close to dusk. He is less interested in us than we are in him. They do not bother people. This coati is used to being around people, as he is on the Papagayo Golf Course and there are homes and a hotel nearby. I have come across a family of coati's in the jungle who ran off and disappeared quickly.
His full body length is 27 inches (69 cm) from head to the base of his tail, and a bushy tail about the same length as his body. They are members of the raccoon family. They have a long nose that they can rotate from side to side. They have double jointed ankles and claws to enable them to climb trees easily. I imagine their long tails help for balance.
Coatis are native to Central America and South America as far as the northern end of Argentina.
Today is Sunday, so we have new photos on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site. This week we are showing photos of the village of Cernobbi on the shores of Lake Como, Italy, from our trip last summer.
Do some people keep them as pets as some people I know who have done that with raccoons. Not a successful long-term pet, tho.
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of fun to see these guys roaming about at dusk.
ReplyDeleteKate,
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of anyone keeping them as a pet, but Wikipedia says that people do keep them as pets and that it is even possible to potty train them. I think they are better left in the wild. If people want a pet, a dog is much more suitable for a lot of reasons. Dpgs are very popular in Costa Rica.
"Coati" is a favorite word in crossword puzzles. He or she is actually quite attractive although I probably wouldn't want to get too close.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice big tail!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting place to play golf with all the critters.
ReplyDeleteCool shot! I agree with Jacob. I bet they can be mean.
ReplyDeleteWe have cats that prowl the neighborhood like you have this coati prowling the golf course. It has such a long tail!
ReplyDeleteHe's a beauty your Coati Dave, he probably would fit into the Australian environment pretty well, I'm not 100% sure but I think I might have seen one in our Zoo, he looks a bit familiar, will check for sure next time I go.
ReplyDelete