Face Your Fears Coati!

“Climbing instructor Paula Manas teaches Elikai the baby Coatimundi how to climb. Elikai needed a little extra help learning what should come after his mother died just days after he was born. The 20-week-old orphan was so terrified of trees that he refused to go near one when he was adopted by wildlife rescuer Steve Rowlands two months ago. Owner Steve hopes to release Elikai into a tropical biosphere in Germany. Coming to Elikai’s rescue were Martin Clever and Paula Manas from climbing centre Redpoint in Birmingham. Martin said when he first got the call saying a coatimundi needed help climbing he thought it was a wind up. He said: “It is the most unusual thing we have ever been asked to do, but seeing Elikai on the tree and watching him learn the ropes was well worth it.” Coatimundis are omnivorous mammala related to the racoons of North America. In the wild they eat insects, fruit, nuts and small reptiles. As they grow adult males become solitary and females live in large groups for protection nesting at night high in the canopy.”