Coatis are intelligent, social procyonids that have adapted to urban and tourist environments in Central and South America, creating welfare concerns from habituation and tourist feeding.
Tourist coati welfare represents the hidden welfare cost of habituation celebrated as a wildlife encounter success. Coatis that accept tourist feeding show signs of chronic stress despite their apparent confidence — begging behavior replaces natural foraging, their diet becomes nutritionally inadequate from processed tourist foods, and disease transmission risk from human contact is elevated. Their apparent tolerance of human approach masks stress rather than indicating comfort. When coatis become aggressive toward tourists seeking food, lethal management is often the outcome — a welfare tragedy that begins with well-intentioned tourist feeding. Responsible wildlife tourism education that prevents feeding and maintains appropriate distance protects both coati welfare and the safety of tourists.