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Kinkajou
Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

Cats, otters & other carnivores

Kinkajou

Potos flavus (Schreber, 1774)

LC Least Concern

Names

EnglishKinkajou
DutchKinkajoe
SpanishKinkajú
Chinese蜜熊
Scientific namePotos flavus (Schreber, 1774)

About this species

The kinkajou (/ˈkɪŋkədʒuː/ KING-kə-joo; Potos flavus) is a mammal of the family Procyonidae, a relative to olingos, coatis, raccoons, and the ringtail and cacomistle. It is the only member of the genus Potos and is also known as the honey bear (a name shared with several unrelated species). Though kinkajous are arboreal, they are not closely related to any other tree-dwelling mammal group (primates, mustelids, etc.).

Native to tropical rainforests of Mexico, Central and South America, this mostly frugivorous mammal is seldom seen by people because of its strict nocturnal habits. However, it is hunted for the pet trade, its skin (to make wallets and horse saddles), and its meat. The species has been included in Appendix III of CITES by Honduras, which means that exports from Honduras require an export permit, and exports from other countries require a certificate of origin or of re-export. They may live up to 40 years in captivity.

Read more on Wikipedia · Text: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Classification

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassMammalia
OrderCarnivora
FamilyProcyonidae
GenusPotos

In Suriname

24Records in Suriname
7iNaturalist observations
1948First record
2026Latest record

Where it has been recorded

  • Para5
  • Brokopondo3
  • Saramacca2
  • Sipaliwini1

Districts with at least one record that has coordinates. Shaded districts have records.

Records by month

All years combined.

Sources & credits

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Related species in Suriname