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Matt Carey Kinkajou.jpg

Kinkajou

Honey Bear is a lesser kinkajou meaning smaller in stature then the greater kinkajou. Her name, Honey Bear is another name for the animal itself. They are referred to as kinkajous or honey bears. She is tiny and delicate and part of the Procyonidae or raccoon family. She is sweet which isn’t normal for most kinkajous as they are nocturnal or night dwelling by nature. Normally, waking up a nocturnal animal in the middle of the day even for a snack would make them a little cranky. I am pretty sure she is an optimist and has a little bit of sunshine in her soul. She lives with her adopted daughter, Luna, who was also a privately owned pet looking for a permitted forever home. She took to mothering like a fish take to swimming but I am afraid her shining personality was not adopted by Luna as her attitude and nickname are one and the same, Luna the Lunatic. She hates to be disturbed if the sun is out and like a vampire will attack you if you try to enter her enclosure after dark. This is actually a much more normal attitude for the average kinkajou. Funny that they are sold as pets in the pet trade as they are pretty grumpy by nature.

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ORDER: Carnivora           
FAMILY: Procyonidae       
GENUS: Potos                   
SPECIES: Flavus

Kinkajous are nocturnal or night dwelling frugivores or fruit eaters. They are also nighttime pollinators and seed spreaders meaning they keep the worlds jungles growing. Unlike their cousin the raccoon and coatimundi they do not walk on the ground. They are arboreal, built for the trees, equipped with prehensile tails and feet that can turn backwards so they can run up or down trees head first. They have very keen hearing and can hear a snake slithering in the canopy. They breed year round and are polygynandrous or multiple partners. They have a gestation period of 120 days where 1 to 2 pups are born. Mama carries the pups on her belly for several months. The babies are weaned at 8 months old, and males reach maturity at 18 months while the females at 2 to 3 years.

Threats

Destruction of natural habitat, pet trade, fur trade and bush meat trade.

Conservation Status

LC - Least Concern

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