South American coatis usually weigh 4-16 pounds with a length of 16-22 inches, which does not include their tail that can double their length.

Even though they may also go by the ring-tailed coati, the ring coloration may appear weak from coati to coati. The South American coati’s tail does not grasp onto branches to aid in climbing but instead gives balance.

Their coats vary in color from gray to brown to red with a dark snout and dark legs.

The South American coati can be found in the tropical and subtropical forests of South America in places like Columbia, Argentina, and more. They live in the trees and on the ground, looking for food in both but sleeping only in the trees.

South American coatis are omnivores, mainly eating fruit, eggs, and small critters. They search for fruit in the trees and use their long, flexible nose to poke through cracks to find prey. South American coatis also use their strong claws and legs to dig and roll logs around to find food underneath. When eating tarantulas, the South American coatis roll on top of them before consuming them to remove the tarantulas bothersome hairs.

Breeding season for South American coatis varies by location but corresponds with the highest availability of fruit. Females already stay in groups with the males being solitary, only joining females to mate. Female South American coatis carry their young for a little over 2 months before giving birth to 2-7 babies. Females will make nests in the trees and raise their young there before joining the group 5-6 weeks later.

When South American coatis sleep in the trees, they tuck their nose into their belly, which explains their name origin from the Native American Indian words cua (belt) and tim (nose).

They have flexible joints in their ankle bones that allow them to go down trees headfirst.