Kinkajous

Commonly called in Belize, "nightwalker". Kinkajous range from southern Mexico to southern Brazil. They are nocturnal arboreal animals living in the upper canopy of the tropical forest foraging at night and spending the day in hollow trees or lying on limbs. Agile and fast, they travel quickly along tree tops and jump noisily from branch to branch. Jaguar Paw has a home where several Kinkajous live.

   

Kinkajous are small mammals with a body length of 16 - 30 inches and a tail as long as the body. Weight is about 6.5 pounds with males being a little larger. Their fur is soft and woolly, yellowish-brown in color, with dark brown faces and large brown eyes. The major physical features are a rounded head, long narrow tongue, sharp claws, and prehensile tail which is used to balance and hold on to branches.

Kinkajous are noisy animals. They scream shrilly when feeding and bark when disturbed. They eat mainly fruit and insects but they also like nectar and small vertebrates.

Maturity is reached at about 2 years of age. Reproduction is non-seasonal. Females nest in a hollow tree and usually have only one offspring. Their gestation is 112-118 days.

Kinkajous are sometimes hunted for meat and fur. Young animals can be tamed and make good pets. Their lifespan is about 23 years.