Ring-tailed+Coati

The ring-tailed coati is a South American relative of the raccoon. These forest dwellers primarily feed on invertebrates but will also take amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, lizard eggs and fruit. The coati's long snout helps them find hidden invertebrates and they use their sharp claws to dig them up. Females generally live in bands that can number up to 25 individuals. Males are solitary once they reach maturity at the age of 3, joining the females only to mate. Females about to give birth will leave the band briefly to build a platform nest in a tree and keep their 3 to 5 babies there for 5 or 6 weeks before bringing them down to join the band again. There is some confusion over the name coati since some people call them coatimundis. Actually, when scientists first saw the lone male coatis they thought they were a different species. The term "coatimundi" means lone coati in the Guarani language (one of the official languages of Paraguay) and is now used only for the males. Coatis have several different vocalizations including grunts and growls they will emit when threatened. They have sharp teeth that will use along with their claws to ward off predators and they make formidible opponents.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/613.shtml

Sharon Johnson