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On a recent hike up Miners Canyon in the Superstitions I finally(!) got my first Coati sighting. I talked about it in my triplog for Herman's Cave http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=18317&start=15. Further reading left me a little uncertain, I found that the darker coated Coati ihabit areas much further south. Arizona Coati(mundi) are supposed to tan to grey coated but here we have a very good example of the one I saw with a dark coat http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=18317&start=15. Further complicating the identification is that the white facial markings were not present. The tail was monkey like and the size and shape seemed characteristic. Anyone have anything on the topic or an alternative identification?

http://hikearizona.com/dexcoder.php?PID=500

Yes. After some debate with a friend, I looked the word up in the dictionary to find out the correct pronunciation. It is apparently NOT pronounced coh tee MUN dee. It is, I guess because it's a Spanish-American word, pronounced co ah tee MUN dee. 5 syllables. Or, co AH tee for short. Kind of a musical-sounding word, if you roll it off your tongue quickly. Coati, rhymes with go potty. (I'm being silly, but it's the only thing I can think of it actually rhymes with.)

Apparently, coatis are common in some parts of Costa Rica. Here are some photos I found on the internet, taken in Costa Rica:

I saw a lot in Panama and have only seen one in Az. at the Chiricuahas. Except for all the recent photos on Haz.

the herd I saw one time was north of Winkleman and south of Globe... was a group of about 15 of them

Dschur wrote:the herd I saw one time was north of Winkleman and south of Globe... was a group of about 15 of them

Any details on coat color, or facial markings? I am trying to understand the value of what I am reading on line as it relates to coat color or why the discrepancy.

http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=231366

http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=226793

http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=226312

http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=188455

http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=126970

As you can see from these member's photographs, they come in many colors in AZ and their coloring on their face can vary as well. Even the tail does not have to have "rings". They are just like everything else, colors will vary depending on location, diet, genes, etc. etc. etc. There is no doubt even just by seeing a glimpse of a tail in your photograph that it was a Coatimundi.

Thanks for the links. I found many of the same photos and makes me think that you can't trust everything you read on the internet...unless your read it on HAZ ;)

Outdoor Lover wrote: There is no doubt even just by seeing a glimpse of a tail in your photograph that it was a Coatimundi.

I am not sure I can go that far based on my photographs but thanks for the vote of confidence!

I've seen them in the Pinals only about 30 miles from the Superstitions. Any animal species in AZ that could resemble a coati is unlikely to be seen during the day and/or in the Supes: ringtail, skunk, coyote, or bear. Heck, it would be very difficult to mistake any of those species for a coati. I don't doubt you saw a coatimundi.

I have observed them at Blue Ridge Reservoir a couple of years ago and severl times near Tonto National Monument.

I got a shot of this little guy near Armer Mountain from a boulder above a game trail. I had a unique encounter with a large family of them that day. It was cool to watch them interact up close and personal.

I have seen Coatimundi in the Sups in the middle of the day , coming to water.

ssk44 wrote:It was cool to watch them interact up close and personal.

Mine wanted nothing to do with us, didn't even accost us for our food

tkknc wrote:I have seen Coatimundi in the Sups in the middle of the day , coming to water.

You don't sound happy, I've been waiting for two years to see one.

they're diurnal.
just wait until you are in the middle of fish creek in the fall, and they all burst from the ground into the trees, seemingly at once and with rapid discursus.
i nearly needed a wep wipe and 2 min of privacy..

@te-wa
That about sounds what our coati was thinking when we happened on him.