Kinkajou is a honey bear that is a little bit of a monkey.

Evolution has created amazing creatures that amaze the imagination with their appearance and unique abilities. The Kinkajou, which lives in the jungles of South America, is not as extravagant in appearance as the platypus or echidna, but it can also surprise. Perhaps you have never heard of it, but in its homeland this animal is so popular that it is even kept as a pet.

The kinkajou, or prehensile-tailed bear, belongs to the raccoon family (Procyonidae). It is the only representative of the genus Potos. To begin with, the name "Kinkajou" itself appeared by chance. French settlers who encountered this animal in Guiana decided that it resembled a wolverine. In fact, the word is translated from one of the Indian languages as "wolverine".

Despite its predatory origin, the kinkajou prefers fruits, flower nectar and honey to meat. If none of the above is available, the animal can eat a frog, a small rodent or a bird. This animal is comparable in size to a small cat and weighs only about 5 kg. It has a round head, wide-set round ears and large eyes. The animal's muzzle is somewhat reminiscent of a bear's, which is where its second name comes from.

The kinkajou is covered with thick, silky fur. On the back it is reddish-brown, and on the belly it is bright red with a yellowish tint. The tail deserves special attention: it is long, with a darker color than the back. It is the tail that makes the kinkajou unique among predators. It is the only known representative of predatory mammals that uses its tail as an additional limb, like a monkey.

This feature is extremely useful, because kinkajou spends most of its life in trees. They even build their homes high in hollows, far from the ground. These animals have paws equipped with sharp claws and bare palms. The hind legs are noticeably longer than the front ones, and the feet can turn 180 degrees. Thanks to this, kinkajou skillfully climbs trees.

Kinkajou are nocturnal. They rest during the day and go out at night to look for food. These animals move so dexterously along branches at great heights that they can easily be mistaken for primates. They go hunting alone or in pairs. Their main tool is a thin tongue up to 13 cm long. It helps them extract nectar from the depths of flowers and explore secluded places under the bark in search of small creatures.

Most of the time, kinkajou live alone. However, if they find a place with a lot of food, they do not compete with each other, but eat together peacefully. These animals communicate with each other by making sounds similar to a mixture of barking and meowing.

Kinkajou pairs do not form for long. The female's pregnancy lasts about four months, and during this time she continues to deftly jump from tree to tree. After the birth of the babies - usually one or two - the male leaves the family. The babies quickly become independent. Males are ready to reproduce at one and a half years, and females - closer to two and a half.

In the wild, kinkajou live for about 10-11 years, and in captivity, their lifespan can reach 25 years. In tropical forests, prehensile-tailed bears have virtually no natural enemies. True, dogs and cats sometimes try to hunt these animals near people, but thanks to the kinkajou's agility, such attempts rarely end in success.

Kinkajou try to stay away from people and are of little interest to hunters. Sometimes they climb onto fruit plantations, but since they live alone, the damage from such visits is minimal. If a kinkajou ends up in a person's hands, it is only as a pet. Animals that come to people as cubs or are born in captivity quickly become tame.

But it is better to stay away from wild kinkajou. These small predators are often carriers of the bacterial infection Kingella potus. It is harmless for the animals themselves, but when bitten, it can be transmitted to humans and cause serious problems. The infected person develops a fever, abdominal cramps, headaches, and bloody urine. Fortunately, the disease is successfully treated with antibiotics.

Kinkajous inhabit large areas of South and Central America. They can be found in the rainforests of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Nicaragua, and even in southeastern Mexico. At the moment, their population is safe. But it is possible that the situation will change over time, as people are intensively developing the forests where these animals live.

Kinkajou are a true miracle of nature. They amaze with their agility and unique features, such as using their tail as an extra limb. What do you think about exotic animals? Would you like to have a kinkajou at home? Or maybe you know other unusual pets that could compare with them in originality? Share your thoughts in the comments!