Hi Vanda, I hate to be a debby downer, but you probably were stroking a Coatamundi. It is illegal to possess Belizean wildlife or to interfere with Belizean wildlife in any way. Unfortunately, these animals are regularly poached from the wild and exploited as tourist attractions. Others are kept as pets by ignorant but well meaning individuals. They are highly social animals and would normally live in large groups in the wild. As they mature, they become destructive and as they reach sexual maturity they become aggressive. At that stage the 'cute' wears thin and they are either killed or abandoned. The Belize Forest Department has recently confiscated Coatamundis being kept as pets on Ambergris Caye but depends on the vigilance of the public to monitor the problem. If you'd like to help protect Belizean wildlife, you can certainly call the Wildlife Hotline on 0800-822-8888 to report this incident. Fortunately, there are one or two places working on Coatamundi rehabilitation in Belize, though they can't take them all. Education is the key. They are indeed very cute when they are babies, but they do belong in the wild. Help us to keep wildlife in the wild in Belize by reporting captive wildlife incidents or inappropriate feeding and contact with wildlife such as crocodile and monkey feeding. Thanks so much. You sound like a true animal lover.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
