Kinkajou

The kinkajou is a mammal of the family Procyonidae and it is related to the raccoon, coati, olingo, raingtail and cacomistle. It lives in the rainforests of South America and Central America, and spends most of its time on trees. It can eat both meat and plants and has a gripping tail that can be used like an arm. It is an endangered species because it is being hunted for its fur, meat and to be illegally sold as pets.

Kinkajou
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Class:	Mammal
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Procyonidae
Genus:	Potos Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire & Cuvier, 1795
Species:	P. flavus
Binomial name
Potos flavus (Schreber, 1774)
Kinkajou range

Appearance

Although kinkajous may look like monkeys, lemurs, koalas, opossums, bears or ferrets, they are not related to those animals. An adult kinkajou's weight is between 1-3 kg (3-7 lb). Its body can grow up to 43-56 cm long (17-22 in) and its tail usually measures between 16-22 cm (41- 56 in). The kinkajou has woolly fur consisting of an outer golden (brownish-gray) coat and another gray coat underneath.

Kinkajou Media

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  Kinkajou using its prehensile tail

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  Kinkajou Skull from the collections of Skulls Unlimited International.

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  This is a photograph of a Kinkajou (Potos flavus).

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  Kinkajou yawns in a Costa Rican animal shelter