Kinkajou

Kinkajou

The kinkajou is a rainforest mammal of the family Procyonidae related to olingos, coatis, raccoons, and the ringtail and cacomistle. It is the only member of the genus Potos and is also known as the "honey bear". Kinkajous may be mistaken for ferrets or monkeys, but are not closely related to either. Native to Central America and South America, this mostly frugivorous, arboreal mammal is not an endangered species, though it is seldom seen by people because of its strict nocturnal habits. However, they are hunted for the pet trade, for their fur, and for their meat.

Size and appearance

An adult kinkajou weighs 1.4–4.6 kg. The adult body length is 40–60 cm; in addition to body length, the tail length is 40–60 cm. The kinkajou's woolly fur consists of an outer coat of gold or brownish-gray overlapping a gray undercoat. It has large eyes and small ears. It also has short legs with five toes on each foot and sharp claws.

Range and habitat

Kinkajous range from east and south of the Sierra Madres in Mexico, throughout Central American to Bolivia east of the Andes and the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Their altitudinal range is from sea level to 2500 m. They are found in closed-canopy tropical forests, including lowland rainforest, montane forest, dry forest, gallery forest and secondary forest.

Diet

Kinkajous particularly enjoy figs. Studies have shown that 90% of their diet consists of fruit. To eat softer fruits they hold it with their forepaws, then scoop out the succulent pulp with their tongue. They may play an important role in seed dispersal. Leaves, flowers, and various herbs make up much of the other 10% of their diet. They sometimes eat insects, particularly ants.

The kinkajou's slender five-inch extrudable tongue helps the animal to obtain fruit and to lick nectar from flowers, so that it sometimes acts as a pollinator. Although captive specimens will avidly eat honey, hence the name "honey bear", honey has not yet been observed in the diet of wild kinkajous.

Behavior

Like raccoons, kinkajous' remarkable manipulatory abilities rival those of primates. The kinkajou has a short-haired, fully prehensile tail, which it uses as a "fifth hand" in climbing. It does not use its tail for grasping food. Scent glands near the mouth, on the throat, and on the belly allow kinkajous to mark their territory and their travel routes. Kinkajous sleep in family units and groom one another. While they are usually solitary when foraging, they occasionally forage in small groups, and sometimes associate with olingos.

As pets

Kinkajous are sometimes kept as exotic pets. They are playful, generally quiet, docile, and have little

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