Kinkajou - Potos flavus

Kinkajous are a member of the Procyonid family of animals. Other members of this family include raccoons and coatimundi. They can be found in tropical forests from southern Mexico throughout Central America and into northern South America. They are arboreal which means they spend almost all of their time in the trees. They are excellent climbers and have prehensile tails. A prehensile tale is one that an animal can hang by. This tail can be used like an extra arm as they travel through the trees in search of food. They are nocturnal and spend most of the day sleeping in hollow trees or in nests in the branches. 

The diet of the kinkajou consists mainly of fruit and nectar. They are, however, considered omnivores as they will occasionally eat insects, eggs or small animals. They have a very long tongue which they use to scoop up soft fruit and gather nectar from flowers. As they go from tree to tree they help to pollinate the plants in the forest and spread their seeds. Adult kinkajous can reach lengths of 16 - 24” long with an additional 16” or longer tail and weigh 3-10 lbs. They typically live in small family groups but often forage alone at night. 

Kinkajous are sometimes kept as exotic pets but they are not a very good pet. They are active mostly at night and can be quite destructive. They are also capable of biting quite hard and are illegal in some states.