New additions to the Space Farms' ‘family'

SUSSEX — The Space Farms Zoo is now home to two baby mountain coatimundi, or coati, named Chiquita and Diego, members of the Procyonidae family of animals. “The baby coati are doing well, drinking their bottles and starting on solid food,” said Lori Space Day, nursery zoologist. “I’ve been learning the difference between their chirps, chips and grunts. They are very active at this age, quite a handful, always looking for bugs in our ears.” Other members of the Procyonidae family include the raccoon, kinkajou and the panda. The coati are also called a hog nosed raccoon, snookem bears and Brazilian aardvarks. They have long snouts that can rotate 60 degrees in any direction, which helps them ferret out insects. As omnivores, the coati diet consists of fruits, vegetables, insects, birds, eggs, and small rodents. The base coloration of the coati coat is brown with flecks of gold, the tummy is a soft beige and the face has distinctive markings. The tail is striped with beige, and brown, similar to the raccoon, though less fluffy. While traveling in bands of up to 25 females and young, the tail is held erect and used for signaling other members of the group. Curved at the tip, the tail is not prehensile. Females deliver their young after an eleven week gestation in July. Babies are born with sealed eyes and fuzz. At eight weeks, the youngsters are great tree climbers along with their mothers. Their specially adapted feet can rotate beyond 180 degrees at the ankle enabling them to ascend or descend a tree head first or tail first. In captivity the coati average life span is 15 years. In their wild habitat of South America they live only seven to eight years. There are four separate species of Coatimundi: South American Coati, White Nose Coati, Neilson Coati and the Mountain Coati (also called the Andean Coati). The individual species are differentiated by color, size, build and color. The zoo acquired the coati from Claws and Paws in Pennsylvania. Space Farms is located on Route 519 in Sussex and is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Oct. 31. Admission is $13.50 per adult, $12.50 per senior and $9 per child. Family season passes and group rates are available. For more information call 973-875-5800 or visit wwwspacefarms.com.