The kinkajou is a small honey-gold or brown animal that lives in the rain forest. In Mexico, it is called “Mico de Noche” because of the color of its fur. A few of the rain forests it lives in are in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, and much of Panama.
The Kinkajou lives on the lower canopy an its stays in a tree almost all its life and very seldom, if ever, comes down. The kinkajou is sometimes called a Honey bear. Its fur is very soft and fluffy. It has a prehensile tail and is related to raccoons. They are very common in rain forest. It has a round head with small round ears and a cat-like face. The kinkajou also has a long stretchable tongue used for getting nectar. The tongue is about 5 inches long! The kinkajou is about the size of a domestic cat and has a musk-like odor. Its lifespan is about 29 years. It weighs anywhere from 5 – 6 pounds.
The female Kinkajou is in heat every three months. In mating, the male sniffs and nips at the female’s throat and lower jaw. The male stimulates his mate by rubbing her sides with the inside of his wrists where he has an enlarged bone sticking out. The bone is bare skinned, probably from wear. But on the female, the bone is fur covered.
