Kinkajou: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Raccoons, Skunks and Badgers · day 6 of 7

Five facts

1. Its gripping tail works like a fifth hand when it climbs, though it never uses it to hold food.
2. It can turn its ankles and feet around 180°, so it runs backwards along branches and climbs down trees head first.
3. Though classed as a carnivore, it eats mainly fruit, about 90% of its diet, with figs a favourite. It scoops out soft pulp with its tongue.
4. Its slim tongue stretches out 13 cm and laps up flower nectar, which means it may help pollinate the plants.
5. It feeds on fruit at night, while spider monkeys do a similar job by day. The two share the forest in shifts.

The quiz

1. What does a kinkajou use its tail for?

• Holding food
• Climbing, like a fifth hand (correct)
• Swimming
• Swatting insects

Its prehensile tail is a fifth hand for climbing, not for food.

2. How far can a kinkajou turn its ankles and feet?

• 10°
• 30°
• 45°
• 180° (correct)

Turning them 180° lets it run backwards and climb down head first.

3. What makes up about 90% of a kinkajou's diet?

• Fruit (correct)
• Insects
• Small mammals
• Honey

Some 90% of what it eats is fruit, especially figs.

4. How might a kinkajou help flowers?

• By eating their pests
• By digging around their roots
• By pollinating them as it licks nectar (correct)
• By shading them with its body

Its long tongue licks nectar, so it may act as a pollinator.

5. Which animal plays a similar fruit-eating role to the kinkajou, but by day?

• The sloth
• The spider monkey (correct)
• The ocelot
• The jaguar

Spider monkeys fill a similar role, but during the day.

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