Coatimundi

Coatis are procyonids (relatives of raccoons) native to tropical forests and desert areas of the Americas, including the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, and most of South America. They have slender (approximately house-cat-size) builds, long roughly-ringed tails, and (most prominently) wiggly noses.

Species
There are at least two, and possibly three or four or more, species of coatis, depending on which taxonomist you ask. The most commonly-accepted species are Nasua nasua ("nosey nosey", the brown-nosed coati) and Nasua narica ("nosey nostrilly", the white-nosed coati). Less commonly-accepted are Nasua nelsoni ("Nelson's nosey", named after naturalist Edward W. Nelson) and Nasuella olivacea ("mini-nosey olivey", the olive-backed coati or mountain coati). That last one is not universally accepted as a "true coati".

Behaviour
Coatis live in social groups ("bands") of four to twenty females and children. Males are generally solitary except during breeding season, at which time the females will welcome him to join the group temporarily in a subservient role; during this time he breeds with all of the females, and is expelled soon afterward.

Diet consists of a variety of invertebrates, small vertebrates including lizards and rodents, eggs, and fruit.

Coatis are both highly inquisitive and highly agile. This results in them being either very challenging or downright infuriating pets, depending on the nominal owner's stamina.