Our featured animals for the month of October are coatis, some of the newest additions to the Animal World and Snake Farm Zoo family! Also known as coatimundis, coatis are members of the family Procyonidae and are mostly native to warm environments like South America and Mexico. We recently welcomed 2 adorable male coati babies to the Zoo’s constantly growing family, and can’t wait to get you acquainted with them!
Reserve your tickets now to partake in the numerous fall festivities we will be holding all month long!
Our Newest Animal Encounter: Coati Zooborns!
As some of our newest animal residents and our featured animal of the month, we have decided to celebrate our coati kits by introducing a new animal encounter that encourages our guests to get up close and personal with them! Since our animal encounter lineup has remained relatively consistent over the past few months, there was no better way to welcome these raccoon-like mammals into the Animal World and Snake Farm Zoo family than to create an animal encounter that specifically highlights them!
During this animal encounter, guests should anticipate learning all sorts of compelling facts about these little guys while developing a deeper appreciation of them as the resourceful, lovable critters they are. From learning how to pronounce the animal species’ name to hearing about their sociable nature, you will learn that coatimundis are even more charming than initially meets the eye. Because of these reasons and many more, this adorable animal species is sure to become one of your new favorite animal residents to visit at the Zoo!
Even More Coati Animal Facts!
Although coatimundis can be found all over the world, from hot and humid areas like the Amazonian rainforests to colder regions like Andean mountain slopes, people generally don’t know much about the diurnal mammal. In an effort to change this, here are some compelling coati facts that will encourage you to want to learn even more about them! For starters, you may be wondering, “What do coatimundis eat?” While the omnivorous animal species is not too picky when it comes to their diet, much of their diet is centered around fruit and invertebrates. Less frequently, coatis are also known to eat birds and bird eggs as well as small reptiles like frogs and lizards.
Another interesting fact you may not know about the animal species is that they are incredibly social creatures! In their natural habitat, coatis are often seen in large groups (commonly referred to as “bands”) that consist of anywhere from 15 to 30 individuals. While many sociable animal species travel in family units composed of male, female, and young individuals, coatis are unique in the sense that their bands typically consist of solely female and young individuals. This is due to the fact that male coatis tend to be solitary creatures, with mating season being the sole exception for this “lone wolf” male species.
Another thing you are sure to be curious about if you can’t wait to visit our adorable coati zooborns is the average coati size when they are born and how large these animals are expected to grow. While coati newborns typically weigh a little under 1 pound, adult coatis can weigh anywhere from 4.4 to 17.6 pounds. In fact, adult male coatis can grow almost twice as large as their female coati animal counterparts! To put this in perspective, most adult coatis are roughly the size of an average house cat.
A Phonetic Coati Pronunciation And a Few Photos of Our Coati Newborns
“A co-what-i?” If this was your first thought when you heard about our featured animal of the month, rest assured that you are not alone in this initial confusion! While the spelling of the animal species’ name may lead you to believe that it is pronounced “coat-ee,” it is actually pronounced “koh-ah-tee.” Now that you have mastered this coati pronunciation, here is how you should pronounce coatimundis, the animal species’ more complex name: “koh-ah-tee-muhn-dees.” Since the animal species’ name is deceptively easy to pronounce at a first glance, seeing how their name is spelled out phonetically is a great help. This mini-lesson is also sure to be a major asset to you when you meet our adorable coati zooborns in-person during your next visit to the Zoo!
Since it can be difficult to visualize an animal’s size from measurements alone, some coati animal images are provided below to make this a little easier. While there are many compelling facts about this charismatic mammal, our favorite coati animal fact has to do with their adorable pig-like snouts. While there is no scientific explanation for why this is, this phenomenon does explain why the animal species is commonly referred to as “the hog-nosed raccoon.” Since the Zoo currently only has baby coati residents, these pictures will mainly help you get a better gauge on the average coati size of younger individuals. However, you can stay tuned to see how these adorable animals grow into their raccoon-like features over the upcoming years!
Charismatic Critters on Screen: Encanto Coati Appearances!
Even though you likely haven’t seen coatis up close and personal, you may recognize them from their notable animated cameo in the hit Disney film Encanto! Since Mirabel’s youngest cousin Antonio is gifted with the ability to speak to animals early in the film, it should be no surprise that Encanto boasts a plethora of animal appearances.
If you can’t quite pinpoint when these adorable critters appear on screen, one notable Encanto coati moment occurs when the mischievous little creatures assemble Bruno’s prophetic vision of the Casa Madrigal’s (or Casita’s) collapse. This interrupts Mariano’s marriage proposal. While the species isn’t quite as mischievous as Encanto makes them out to be, you are sure to fall in love with our adorable coati newborns during your next visit!
Our 7th annual Howl-O-Ween Extravaganza is quickly approaching! Reserve your tickets now to ensure you can participate in our unique, animal-focused Halloween celebration!