Grab Your Hat and Coati

On a hike in the mountains above the city we followed a small winding stream through the woods.  Beneath an outcropping of rocks was a large swatch of bright orange mud.  Lu told me it was iron, naturally occurring rust.     
 

At a picnic site beside the stream, a rustling in the woods was followed by the emergence of what looked like a possum wearing a raccoon coat.  It was a coati, Brazil's version of the anteater. 

 
Not sure if the thing was friend or foe I suggested we keep our distance.  “But it’s so cute,” said Lu.  She then bent down and called to it.  The coati waddled right up to her.  It wasn’t afraid at all.  It was bored.  While Lu took its picture the animal performed its, “I’m a cute starving forest animal so feed me or I will die” routine.  It was terrible.  The moves were all there, i.e., the head lowered in submission, big saucer eyes and paws outstretched in a gesture of seeking alms, but there wasn’t any feeling in it.  The coati was just going through the motions, phoning it in like a tired old hooker.  I had to resist giving her notes and having her try it again. 

 

The moment the coati realized she wasn’t getting anywhere with us, or anything from us, she dropped the act and sauntered on.  


A few moments later, a whole slew of coatis emerged from the underbrush.  There were twenty-one in all.  I learned later that packs of this size are typical and that they are comprised entirely of females and their young.  Males, apparently, are only tolerated during the breeding season, and once the deed is done, the females turn hostile and run them off.   When I related this fact to Lu she laughed a little longer and harder than was warranted.  Just saying.

 


The coati fanned out and overran the picnic area.  A couple came close and gave a sniff but mostly they just ignored us.  They climbed on top of the tables and even on top of a boarded up maintenance hut that was there.  Two worked together to turn over a log and than lapped up the bugs underneath.  

 




A bunch of coati climbed down inside a small, metal garbage can.  Another, walked along its rim but then lost her footing, fell inside and landed with a loud bang.  The coati inside panicked and began to hurl themselves out of the trash.  They looked like fat, fur-covered bottle rockets.