Wildlife Costa Rica – 9 Facts About Kinkajous
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Kinkajous are also known as honey bears. They can be found all over Central America. In Costa Rica they are commonly seen in Drake Bay. These guys are very interesting and here are some facts about them:
1. They are also known as honey bear, because when in captivity they seem to enjoy eating honey.
2. The kinkajou’s woolly fur consists of an outer coat of gold or brownish-gray overlapping a gray undercoat.
3. They can be considered omnivorous because 90% of their diet consists of ripe fruit. Leaves and flowers make up much of the other 10% of their diet. Also they sometimes eat insects, particularly ants.
4. An average adult kinkajou weighs 4–7 pounds and an average adult body length is 40–60 cm. In addition to body length, the average tail length is 40–55 cm.
5. They normally live 23 – 24 years, but in a Hawaiian zoo they had a kinkajou that lived for 40 years!
6. Scent glands near the mouth, on the throat, and on the belly allow kinkajous to mark their territory and their travel routes.
7. Kinkajous sleep in family units and groom one another. But they are usually solitary when foraging although they occasionally forage in small groups.
8. The kinkajou’s peak activity is usually between about 7:00 PM and midnight, and again an hour before dawn. During daylight hours, kinkajous sleep in tree hollows or in shaded tangles of leaves, avoiding direct sunlight.
9. This arboreal mammal is not an endangered species, though it is rarely seen by people because of its strict nocturnal habits. However, they are hunted for the illegal pet trade, for their fur and for their meat.
Don’t miss all the other interesting articles about Traveling in Costa Rica here!
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January 28th, 2010 at
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January 29th, 2010 at
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Dave&Deb Travel Duo, James Cahill and Travel Expert(a), Suchitoto Tours. Suchitoto Tours said: RT @theplanetd: RT @marinavillatoro Wildlife #CostaRica – 9 Facts About Kinkajous http://ow.ly/16rKC6 #centralamerica [...]