Ever seen a wild coati before? One tourist in Mexico learned about the raccoon-like animal the hard way — when she discovered one in her bed.
What's happening?
Coatis, also known as coatimundis, are a common mammal species found throughout South and Central America, Mexico, and even the Southwestern United States.
Yet many people have never seen the long snout and striped tail of a coati in real life, including TikToker itsmissohio (@imhighandyourebi).
"No because this can't be happening," she says as she begins to panic in a video taken during the experience.
@itsmissohio I love how he's so calm like "heyyyy welcome. mind if I crash here? this bed sure is comfortable."
♬ original sound - imhighandyourebi
"You can't stay here!" she tells the coati, who is busy making itself comfortable in the bedsheets. "What do I do?" she asks the camera.
To the traveler's relief, the animal eventually gets the hint and scampers out of the room.
"Wait that is better than a mint on a pillow," one viewer joked in the comments.
Why are run-ins with coatis concerning?
Other commenters on the video pointed out that the cute coatis are usually friendly and fun to interact with and that there was no reason to panic.
However, even the friendliest of wild animals will get aggressive toward humans if their natural habitat, food source, or babies are put in danger — including coatis.
This is even more important to keep top of mind as human encounters with wild animals are on the rise.
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Absolutely 👍 Due to human population growth and expansion into animal habitats, there are more chances for altercations. The additional resource pressures that human-caused global temperature rise puts on wild animals play a role as well.
A small but growing number of these incidents turn violent, especially in areas with bears and big cat species. Sadly, these animals are typically euthanized after an attack, according to the BBC.
What can be done to protect animals in populated areas?
Since several types of coatis are already endangered, conservation efforts must include proper human interaction.
Caring for any animal out in the world all comes down to respect. Don't get too close, and honor any boundaries they set. This helps protect them from harm and also keeps you safe from the rare defensive attack.
Avoid feeding wild species as well, as it can disrupt their natural behaviors and draw them farther into human environments.
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