Five Playful Coatis for Taipei Zoo
May 25, 2013
Five lively South American Coati babies are keeping their mother busy at the Taipei Zoo. Born on March 23, the babies progressed in their development quickly, opening their eyes at five days and standing at 12 days.
The babies now follow their mother everywhere in the exhibit, stopping to explore and investigate along the way. They’ve recently learned to jump, and will use their mother’s back as a springboard to reach tree trunks.
Coatis are expert climbers and diggers. They rummage for food in the leaf litter of the tropical forests of South America. Fruits, insects, and lizards are preferred food items, but as omnivores, Coatis will eat a wide variety of foods.
Not enough is known about the wild population of Coatis to understand their conservation status. Like many mammals, they face pressures from unregulated hunting and habitat loss.