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

The Kinkajou (Potos flavus), also known as the Honey Bear, is a nocturnal rainforest mammal related to the ringtail, raccoon, panda and the coati. It is the only member of the genus Potos. Kinkajous may be mistaken for ferrets or monkeys, but are not related. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (879x606, 105 KB) Summary Illustration of a kinkajou from the Dictionnaire Universel dHistoire Naturelle by Alcide dOrbigny, published in 1849. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn2. ... Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... “Animalia” redirects here. ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the production of milk in female mammary glands and the presence of hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the... Families 17, See classification The diverse order Carnivora (IPA: or IPA: ; from Latin carō (stem carn-) flesh, + vorāre to devour) includes over 260 placental mammals. ... Genera Procyon Nasua Cyonasua - extinct Chapalmalania - extinct Nasuella Bassariscus Bassaricyon Potos Procyonidae is a family of carnivores which includes the raccoons, coatis and others. ... An engraving of Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. ... Georges Cuvier Baron Georges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier (August 23, 1769–May 13, 1832) was a French naturalist and zoologist. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal system of naming species. ... Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber (1739 - 1810) was a German naturalist. ... Image File history File links Leefgebied_kinkajoe. ... The Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, Australia. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the production of milk in female mammary glands and the presence of hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the... Binomial name Bassariscus astutus (Lichtenstein, 1830) The Ringtail, (Bassariscus astutus) is a mammal belonging to the raccoon family, native to the Americas. ... Type species Procyon lotor Linnaeus, 1758 Species Procyon cancrivorus Procyon insularis Procyon lotor Skull of a raccoon, showing dentition. ... Panda may refer to: // Giant Panda Panda (plant), a genus of the family Euphorbiaceae PANDAS or P.A.N.D.A.S. is Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptoccal infections Qinling Panda, a subspecies of the Giant Panda. ... Species Nasua nasua Nasua narica Nasua nelsoni The name coati (pronounced ) is applied to any of three species of small neotropical mammals in the genus Nasua, family Procyonidae, ranging from southern Arizona to north of Argentina. ...

An average adult kinkajou weighs 2–3 kg (4–7 lb). Growing to an average body length of 17-22 inches, their tail is 16-22 inches in length in addition to the body. Although classified in the order Carnivora and equipped with sharp teeth, they actually primarily eat fruit. One source of help in getting fruit in small areas is their long tongue that is slender and has a length of 5 inches. Although captive animals will avidly eat honey (earning them the name "Honey Bear"), it has never been observed in the diet of wild kinkajous. Native to Central America and South America, this tree-dwelling mammal is not particularly rare, though it is seldom seen by people because of its strict nocturnal habits. Like raccoons (also members of the family Procyonidae), kinkajous have remarkable manipulatory abilities, in this respect rivaling primates. Special scent glands on their chest and belly allow them to mark their travel routes and territory. While they are usually by themselves, they are occasionally in small groups. Kinkajous also have short-haired, fully prehensile tails (like some New World monkeys), which they use as a fifth hand in climbing. However, they do not use their tails for grasping food. The prehensile tail distinguishes kinkajous from the closely related olingos. Families 17, See classification The diverse order Carnivora (IPA: or IPA: ; from Latin carō (stem carn-) flesh, + vorāre to devour) includes over 260 placental mammals. ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Type species Procyon lotor Linnaeus, 1758 Species Procyon cancrivorus Procyon insularis Procyon lotor Skull of a raccoon, showing dentition. ... Genera Procyon Nasua Cyonasua - extinct Chapalmalania - extinct Nasuella Bassariscus Bassaricyon Potos Procyonidae is a family of carnivores which includes the raccoons, coatis and others. ... Families 15, See classification A primate is any member of the biological order Primates, the group that contains all the species commonly related to the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the latter category including humans. ... A prehensile tail is the tail of an animal that has adapted to be able to grasp and/or hold objects. ... Families Cebidae Aotidae Pitheciidae Atelidae The New World monkeys are the four families of primates that are found in Central and South America: the Cebidae, Aotidae, Pitheciidae and Atelidae. ... Species Bassaricyon alleni Bassaricyon beddardi Bassaricyon gabbii Bassaricyon lasius Bassaricyon pauli Olingos are small dog like animals procyonids who comprise the genus Bassaricyon, native to the rainforests of Central and South America from Nicaragua to Peru. ...

Kinkajous are sometimes kept as pets. Their personality tends to be playful and curious, and they are generally tame. However, some owners report unpredictable, vicious attacks by their kinkajous even after several years of non-aggression. Kinkajous enjoy bananas and have been known to raid domestic owners' liquor cabinets. They live an average of about 26 years of age in captivity, with a maximum recorded life span of 40. Kinkajous breed throughout the year giving birth to one or (less commonly) two small babies after a gestation period of 112 to 118 days.

Kinkajous do not like to be awake during the day, and dislike noise or sudden movements. If they are agitated too much, they may emit a scream and attack, usually clawing their victim and biting deeply. Their bites are particularly dangerous as their saliva contains a tenacious, species-specific bacterium - Kingella potus, first identified by Dr. Paul Lawson of the University of Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma, abbreviated OU, is a coeducational public research university located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma founded in 1890. ...

During the night, it is possible to hear the kinkajou vocalizing; their shrill calls resemble a woman's scream. For this reason, one folk name for the kinkajou is "la llorona," which translates directly from the Spanish language into "the crying woman." Another way that kinkajous communicate is by scent. Their ability to do this is possible by their scent glands that are close to their the mouth, throat, and belly. For the Picasso painting, see The Weeping Woman. ...

References

• Mustelid Specialist Group (1996). Potos flavus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
• Paris Hilton bitten by kinkajou - USAToday.com
• Kinkajou - Honolulu Zoo
• Kinkajou - Enchanted Learning

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Potos flavus

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Potos flavus