My uncle (Willie’s dad) is in Mexico this week.
He just sent me these photos of a captive tejón, which is better known as a white-faced coati (Nasua narica). These animals are social members of the raccoon family (Procyonidae). There are four species that range from the southwestern US to Argentina. The white-nosed coati is the one most widespread in Mexico and Central America, and it is the one you’ll find in the United States. There is also an escaped colony of ten South American coatis (Nasua nasua) in Cumbria in Northern England.
These animals are in the raccoon family, but they do look a lot like Eurasian badgers.
When the Spanish came into Mexico, they thought coatis were badgers. Tejón is Spanish for badger.
Mexico also has American badgers, so the name does get somewhat confusing.
"Let me out!"
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I have a friend that has two of those as house pets. They are friendly and curious- probably because they have insatiable appetites. They will take food from anyone. Cute names too. Coati-mundi and Coati-tuesday. They like fruit best but eat bugs and lizards. I haven’t met very many of these fellows, but they are not like badgers in personality at all- at least not if you offer them food. Maybe they are if they are hungry!
European badgers are very different from American badgers. Like coatis, they live in family groups.
[...] Tejón [...]