Common Name: Kinkajou

Scientific Name: Potos flavus

Description: Kinkajous are primarily nocturnal and maintain a limited home range. Kinkajous have tightly packed brown hair and a long prehensile tail. Both of these attributes may be useful in their acquiring honey. The stinger of the bee is thwarted by impacting only hair and the honeycomb is reached by hanging by the long tail. This may be the origin of their nickname "honey bear." An exceptionally long tongue is also useful for acquiring nectar. Individuals weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 kg with males weighing more than females.

Range: Mexico through South America

Habitat: Forests. Kinkajous are almost exclusively arboreal.

Diet: Primarily frugivorous but includes honey, nectar, some insects and small vertebrates.

Social Life: Typically one or two kinkajous travel together. Larger temporary associations have been reported on fruiting trees. A single offspring is born after a four month gestation. Within two months of birth juvenile kinkajous may already hang by their prehensile tails. Males are mature within a year and a half. Females just after two years of age.

Conservation: Currently not listed as threatened or endangered.

Recommended LINKS & BOOKS

Dr. David Macdonald's Encyclopedia of Mammals is one of the great standards for mammal information including the kinkajous. Purchase it through Amazon.com by clicking on the photo to help the zoo!