Head to head
Raccoon vs Coati
Raccoons and coatis are close relatives in the family Procyonidae, and a coati is sometimes described as a raccoon with a long nose and an upright tail. They share ringed tails, clever paws, and a taste for almost anything, but they keep different hours and different company.
| Raccoon | Coati | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Procyonidae | Procyonidae (so, close relatives) |
| Range | Southern Canada through Central America; introduced to Europe and Japan | Southern USA through South America |
| Snout | Short and pointed, with a black facial mask | Long, flexible, upturned; used to root in soil |
| Tail | Ringed, carried low or trailing | Ringed, carried straight up while walking |
| Social life | Mostly solitary; loose feeding groups | Females and young in bands of up to about 30; males solitary |
| Activity | Nocturnal | Mainly diurnal |
| Front paws | Very dexterous; handles and washes food | Dexterous, but used more for digging and flipping debris |
| Climbing | Excellent; dens in tree hollows | Excellent; sleeps and nests in trees |
| Diet | Omnivore: fruit, invertebrates, eggs, refuse | Omnivore: invertebrates, fruit, small vertebrates |
Raccoon vs Coati: common questions
Are raccoons and coatis related?
Yes, closely. Both are in the family Procyonidae, along with kinkajous, olingos, and ringtails. They share the ringed tail, the flat-footed walk, and dexterous front paws. The coati is adapted for daytime, group-living, ground-rooting foraging, while the raccoon is a nocturnal generalist.
What is the easiest way to tell a coati from a raccoon?
The nose and the tail. A coati has a long, whiffling snout that sticks out well past its mouth and holds its tail bolt upright like an aerial. A raccoon has a short masked face and lets its tail hang down. A group foraging in daylight is coatis; a lone animal raiding bins at night is a raccoon.
Do coatis live in the United States?
Yes, the white-nosed coati reaches southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, and is expanding. But it is far less widespread there than the raccoon, which occurs across almost the entire country.