They are also known as honey bear, because when tin captivity they seem to enjoy eating honey. Kinkajous are related with the raccoon and coati.
The kinkajou's woolly fur consists of an outer coat of gold or brownish-gray overlapping a gray undercoat. Studies have shown that 90% of their diet consists primarily of ripe fruit. They may play an important role in seed dispersal. Leaves and flowers make up much of the other 10% of their diet. Also they sometimes eat insects, particularly ants. An average adult kinkajou weighs 4-7 Pounds and an average adult body length is 40-60 cm. In addition to body length, average tail length is 40-55 cm.
They normally live 23 - 24 years, but in a Hawaiian zoo they had a kinkajou that lived for 40 years. These nocturnal animals also have a short-haired, fully prehensile tail like some New World monkeys, which it uses as a "fifth hand" in climbing. 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.
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. Also, kinkajous do not have a specific season for breeding.
They breed throughout the year. Female kinkajous give birth to one or occasionally two small babies after a gestation period of 112 to 118 days. This 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 illegal pet trade, for their fur and for their meat. They are forest mammals, native to Central and South America.
The kinkajou's woolly fur consists of an outer coat of gold or brownish-gray overlapping a gray undercoat. Studies have shown that 90% of their diet consists primarily of ripe fruit. They may play an important role in seed dispersal. Leaves and flowers make up much of the other 10% of their diet. Also they sometimes eat insects, particularly ants. An average adult kinkajou weighs 4-7 Pounds and an average adult body length is 40-60 cm. In addition to body length, average tail length is 40-55 cm.
They normally live 23 - 24 years, but in a Hawaiian zoo they had a kinkajou that lived for 40 years. These nocturnal animals also have a short-haired, fully prehensile tail like some New World monkeys, which it uses as a "fifth hand" in climbing. 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.
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. Also, kinkajous do not have a specific season for breeding.
They breed throughout the year. Female kinkajous give birth to one or occasionally two small babies after a gestation period of 112 to 118 days. This 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 illegal pet trade, for their fur and for their meat. They are forest mammals, native to Central and South America.
About the Author:
Marina K. Villatoro, lives in Central America - Costa Rica and Guatemala for the past decade. She has traveled all over these areas with her family and now she loves to organize vacations to Costa Rica and Guatemala. Contact her for advice and to plan your perfect trip! Also published at Animal Facts - Kinkajou.
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