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Species authority page

White-nosed coati

Nasua narica · Furbearers

White-nosed coati (Nasua narica): Body length 80-130 cm, over half of it tail. Grayish-brown coat with silver grizzling; long pointed flexible snout. This profile does not establish whether taking it is legal anywhere.

Check rules for a place and dateOpen the white-nosed coati map

Certified rules currently represented in Hunt: coverage in development. This is coverage, not a legal answer.

White-nosed coati standing in green vegetation
Photo by Pavel Nekoranec on Unsplash
Scientific name
Nasua narica
Family
Procyonidae
In North America
Native
Range
Central Arizona, southwestern New Mexico and southern Texas south through Mexico and Central America; occurrences farther north in Arizona/New Mexico likely wanderers or released captives. Texas status uncertain.
Biology

How to identify it

Body length 80-130 cm, over half of it tail. [1][2]

Grayish-brown coat with silver grizzling; long pointed flexible snout. [1][2]

White band near the snout tip, white spots above and below each eye and on each cheek. [1][2]

Long tapering tail with black rings, held erect when walking. [1][2]

Black feet, forefeet with bent claws. [1][2]

Compared with the ringtail: Much smaller, cat-like, with a short muzzle and a black-and-white ringed tail. [1][2]

Species it is confused with

Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.

Field notes

  • Identification Confirm a white-nosed coati before you act. Compared with the ringtail: Much smaller, cat-like, with a short muzzle and a black-and-white ringed tail.[1][2]
Field knowledge

Where it lives

Broken tropical forest, pine forest, mesquite grassland and oak scrub; in the southwestern US, canyons, usually near water. [1][2]

Field knowledge

How it behaves

Primarily diurnal, some night activity; most active in morning and evening [1][2]

Omnivorous; prefers fruit and berries; forages on the ground and in trees [1][2]

Groups of a dozen or more (mothers and young) travel together; males are solitary most of the year [1][2]

Regulatory handoff

Where it is listed for legal take

These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.

Where legal take is listed

Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.

Geospatial intelligence

Where it is found

Central Arizona, southwestern New Mexico and southern Texas south through Mexico and Central America; occurrences farther north in Arizona/New Mexico likely wanderers or released captives. Texas status uncertain.

Biology

Sources

Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.

  1. NatureServe · reviewed 2026-09-30

    NatureServe

  2. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology · reviewed 2026-09-30

    University of Michigan Museum of Zoology