OLINGOS AND KINKAJOUS

THE OLINGOS

Scientists generally believe there are five species of Olingos but other authorities insists that there are three of the Olingos and two are subspecies. However, they all have the same look.

Olingos live in the most southern tip of Central America such as Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil and Peru. Although they prefer tropical forests yet they also can be found from sea level to the height up to 2000m. They live only in trees and are nocturnal.

They belong to the raccoon family but they are a little bit smaller. Their long body is covered with thick, soft fur. The fur has a golden mix with black or grey hairs on the top and paler yellow underneath. Their very long tail is bushy with very distinct rings. A round head which is flattened on the top and a long, pointed snout. The ears are small and rounded. Their limbs are quite short and the non-retractable claws are sharply curved.

Olingos live either on their own or in pairs. They sleep during the day in grass lined den usually built into a hollow tree. When they wake they begin with a thorough grooming. They use their hind feet to scratch and their teeth to comb and finish up licking their fur. The other raccoon family use their front paws for grooming.

OLINGO  HANGING  BY  HIS  FEET  UPSIDE  DOWN

Their hunting for food is only done through the trees. They very rarely come down to the forest's floor.  Easily they move from tree to tree and can leap a gap of 3m with great ease. They use their tail for balance and extent it back from their bodies.  The tail is also pressed against the tree trunk or branch to help with the balance. When they travel through the trees they spray it with their urine and it is not known if this to mark the territory or a way to find the way back.

Olingos feed mainly on fruit. When a trees has lots of fruit they all come there to feed.  Insect and small mammals are also part of their diet. Some animals are being caught after a short chase.

Olingos seem to breed all year round. The male stays with the female till she gives birth and then she chases him away. Gestation is about 73 days and they have only one baby. Like all the raccoon family the baby is tiny and weighs 55g. It is poorly developed and opens its eyes after 27 days. It still does not take any solid food until it is two months old.  When it is two years old, it is ready to mate.

THE KINKAJOU

There is only one species of kinkajou and they are very much like the Olingos. The only difference is that their fur has one colour and no marking. The tail can grasp round branches and it is not bushy but with short hair. It also has an extractable tongue which is 12.5cm long and used to extract or suck honey out of the bee's nest, nectar or the fleshy inside of fruit.

The kinkajou has a length between 40-75cm and the male is larger than the female. The round head has a blunt snout with short round ears. Their eyes are round. It has scent gland on the chest and belly and rubs them along the tree branches to mark its territory.

The kinkajou even so it spends its entire life in the trees it is very careful when it moves amongst them. It uses the tail for balancing and holding onto branches when it moves from one tree to another. It is very cautious and makes sure it is safe in spite of holding onto one branch while it moves to the other. It usual sleeps in a hollow of a tree apart from when the weather very humid, it stays on a branch.

The kinkajou eats most of sweet fruit and honey then any other of the raccoon family. Wild figs, guavas, mangoes and avocados are his number one choice. Any trees with a good amount of fruit; the kinkajou gather and there will be a lot of hissing and screaming at each other. They grab it with their mouth and take it into their hands. Sometimes, but very seldom, they eat insects or bird's eggs.

They seem to breed any time during the year and the female lets the male know that she is ready to mate with a special cry. After a long gestation of 112-118 days they give birth. They have a single baby weighing 200g and covered with downy dark-tipped and silvery grey fur. It opens its eyes after 7-19 days and when it is seven weeks old it can hang on its tail. After one year it has the colour of an adult. The female can mate when she is 18 months old. The male can mate when he is about 28 months