Visitors arriving at the first viewpoint of the Iguazu National Park may be greeted by some very cute residents, the Coati (or Quati, in Portuguese) is the symbol of the Iguazu Falls and can be found in some countries in South America, Central America and North America.
Easily mistaken for raccoons as both are members of the same family, there are three known species of them. The one you will see at Iguazu Falls Park is the Quati Cauda-Anelada (Ring-Tailed Coati), its main feature is the eight black circles present on the tail.
These animals are omnivores, meaning they eat meat and fruit and can find everything within their own habitat. The Coati is essentially a hunter, you can tell that by his quickness in capturing the snack of the unsuspecting.
The Coatis at the Iguazu National Park already suffer from obesity and diabetes, mainly because they keep getting fed by the visitors and stop hunting because of that.
If any accidents involving coatis happen to you, immediately look for a sign of the Iguazu National Park, there are persons there responsible for referring people to the Service Station for the first procedures like cleaning the wound and showing where you can take the rabies vaccine.
Here are some tips from the Bambu Hosels Group for those who are coming or programming to visit this wonder of nature.
During the tour:
Drink a lot of water to yourself hydrated;
Use sunscreen;
Bring insect repellent;
It is advisable to use raincoat;
Wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes;
Throw trash in appropriate places
Do not feed the animals.
Take home only photographs and souvenirs purchased at the park, do not damage the flora and fauna.
If you respect their space, the coatis of Iguazu Falls are adorable to take pictures from, promising beautiful photos climbing trees, hunting or even taking care of their puppies.
Come and visit the Falls with us!
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