Today I introduce to you the Kinkajou!

Source: National Geographic (copyright National Geographic)

Kinkajou's you would think are part of the lemur family but actually they are of the carnivore order and are not primates. They are closer to the raccoon and coati. They are found in the rainforests of both Central and South America. They are also known as 'honey bears' as they are able to elongate their tongues up to 5cm and suck honey from bee hives and sap flower nectar. Incredibly they have a prehensile tail that they use to hang from high up the rainforest canopies where they reside. They also use this tail as a cover when they are sleeping.

What I found so intriguing is they have the ability to turn their feet backwards as they walk along tree trunks.

As omnivores they feed on fruits and small mammals. They are gregarious and congregate in groups. The female produces one off spring per year usually in the Spring or Summer. By the second month the pups eyes are open and they are able to use their prehensile tail.

They are nocturnal therefore are not easily seen during the day! They are not only seed dispersers in the rainforest but also pollinators.

They are often kept as exotic pets but they can be aggressive when provoked. They are on the IUCN least concern list. Nonetheless, with the loss of habitat this may change.

Here is a great video about Kinkajou's!