Kinkajou – An Exotic Animal Found In Guyana

Have you ever heard about the kinkajou? If you visit the Zoological Park in Guyana you would find these adorable, bold eyes, little creatures. They are also known as honey bears because they like to raid bees’ nests. They would use their long, skinny tongues to slurp honey from a hive, and also to remove insects like termites from their nests. Yes, these little fellows are lots of fun and are filled with amazing abilities. This article will further reveal more information about the kinkajou.

Features Of The Kinkajou

• Colour: The kinkajou’s woolly fur consists of an outer coat of gold (or brownish-gray) overlapping a gray undercoat.
• Body Features: It has large eyes and small ears. It also has short legs with five toes on each foot and sharp claws.
• Weight & Length: An adult kinkajou weighs 1.4–4.6 kg (3–10 lb). The adult body length is 40–60 cm (16–24 in); in addition to body length, the length of the prehensile tail is 40–60 cm (16–24 in).

Tip: Though many of its features and traits sound like those of a primate, the kinkajou is actually related to the raccoon.

Scientific Classification Of The Kinkajou

Kinkajou – Potos flavus [Scientific name]

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Carnivora
• Family: Procyonidae
• Genus: Potos
• Species: P. flavus

Habitat Of The Kinkajou

Kinkajous are native to Central America and South America (Guyana). They are found in closed-canopy tropical forests, including lowland rainforest, montane forest, dry forest, gallery forest and secondary forest. They like to spend most of their time in the trees. They are able to turn their feet backwards to run easily in either direction along branches or up and down trunks. The kinkajou also has a prehensile (gripping) tail that it uses much like another arm. Kinkajous often hang from this incredible tail, which also aids their balance and serves as a cozy blanket while the animal sleeps high in the canopy.

Diet Of The Kinkajou

Although the kinkajou is classified in the order Carnivora and has sharp teeth, its omnivorous diet consists mainly of fruit, particularly figs. Studies have shown that 90% of their diet consists of (primarily ripe) 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. It has been suggested, without direct evidence, that they may occasionally eat bird eggs and small vertebrates. Their frugivorous habits are actually convergent with those of (diurnal) spider monkeys. Kinkajous also eat small mammals, which they snare with their nimble front paws and sharp claws. They roam and eat at night, and return each morning to sleep in previously used tree holes.

Did You Know? 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. Also, their serious claws and rounded ears give them the nickname “honey bear”.

Reproduction Of The Kinkajou

A typical kinkajou social group includes two males, a female, and offspring. Whether alone or in a small group, kinkajous usually travel the same route each night and tend to stick to their own territory. Kinkajous breed throughout the year, giving birth to one or occasionally two small babies after a gestation period of 112 to 118 days. A mother kinkajou takes full responsibility for caring for her young. She leaves her baby in the hollow of a tree while she looks for food.

Baby Kinkajous: After one or two weeks, the baby’s eyes open. It begins to eat solid food at eight weeks. By this time, the youngster can hang by its tail. It is able to climb with confidence when about three months old. Young males stay with their mother until they are about 18 months old; females stay until they are about two years old.

Facts About The Kinkajou

1. The kinkajou is a tropical rainforest mammal of the family Procyonidae related to olingos, coatis, raccoons, and the ringtail and cacomistle.
2. It is the only member of the genus Potos and is also known as the “honey bear” (a name that it shares with the unrelated sun bear).
3. Kinkajous are arboreal, a lifestyle they evolved independently; they are not closely related to any other tree-dwelling mammal group (primates, some mustelids, etc.).
4. They may live up to 40 years in captivity.
5. Kinkajous spend most of their life in trees, to which they are particularly well adapted.
6. The kinkajou has a short-haired, fully prehensile tail (like some New World monkeys), which it uses as a “fifth hand” in climbing. It does not use its tail for grasping food.
7. It can rotate its ankles and feet 180°, making it easy for the animal to run backward over tree limbs and climb down trees headfirst.
8. Scent glands near the mouth, on the throat, and on the belly allow kinkajous to mark their territory and their travel routes.
9. 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 (which are also frugivorous).
10. A nocturnal animal, the kinkajou’s peak activity is usually between about 7:00 PM and midnight, and again an hour before dawn. During daylight hours, kinkajous sleep in tree hollows or in shaded tangles of leaves, avoiding direct sunlight.

Watch This: Couple Keep Mischievous Kinkajou As Pet | CUTE AS FLUFF

Kinkajous In Guyana

You are sure to spot Kinkajous in the Iwokrama Rainforest of Guyana. Just ensure that you look for them after 7:00 PM since they are nocturnal – very active in the night. You can also visit the Zoo in Guyana and find these adorable, large eyes fellows. You will be captivated by their amazing abilities and fascinating features.

Article References:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinkajou
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/k/kinkajou/
• https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/kinkajou