The upper parts are pinkish buff to golden, mixed with black or grayish above, and the underparts are pale yellowish. The tail is somewhat flattened and more or less distinctly annulated along the median portion. The general body form is elongate, the head is flattened, the snout is pointed, and the ears are small and rounded. The limbs are short, the soles are partly furred, and the claws are sharply curved. The tail of Bassaricyon, unlike that of Potos, is long-haired and not prehensile.
Females have a single pair of inguinal mammae.
The olingo is found in tropical forests from sea level to 2,000 meters. It is primarily arboreal and nocturnal. It is thought to spend the day in a nest of dry leaves in a hollow tree. It feeds mainly on fruit but also hunts for insects and warm-blooded animals. In the wild, Bassaricyon lives alone or in pairs.