Donna Peltier, age 15, of St. Paul, Minn., for her question:

WHAT IS A COATI?

A coati, which is also called a coatimundi, is a member of the raccoon family. He has a long, flexible snout and often carries his long, ringed tail straight up.

Coatis can be found living in wooded areas from Arizona southward to northern Argentina. They measure from 16 to 26 inches in length, not counting the tail. They weigh between 10 and 15 pounds.

The coati you find in Arizona is usually sandy blond while the fur of the Panama coati is chocolate brown in color. The coat of the South American coati is reddish brown

A coati eats insects, land crabs, snails, spiders and a variety of fruits. He also eats birds' eggs, mice and lizards.

Females and young coatis live in groups of from six to 20 animals.