Coatis are highly social, inquisitive ring-tailed relatives of raccoons whose behavioural complexity and foraging needs make them engaging but demanding animals to maintain with high welfare in captivity.
Coati welfare in captivity is primarily determined by enrichment quality and social group composition. Female-band groups maintained together show active social foraging, play, and cooperative vigilance. Isolated or undersized groups show reduced activity diversity and increased stereotypy. Foraging enrichment must be rich, varied, and physically demanding to engage coati motivation: substrate rooting, puzzle feeders, scattered food requiring search, and vertical climbing opportunities all contribute to a behaviourally full day. Static exhibits that offer food in bowls provide nutrition but fail entirely to engage the foraging systems that drive coati behaviour. Regular novel enrichment items maintain the investigative behaviour that characterises wild coati life. Seasonal variation in enrichment complexity — mimicking natural food availability variation — provides additional behavioural challenge.