North American kinkajou

The **North American kinkajou** (*Potos californianus*) is a species of mammal of the family Procyonidae, most closely related to the South American kinkajou (*Potos flavus*), that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, wetlands, forests, open woodlands, and forested shrublands across North America to help boost biodiversity. The North American kinkajou has a round head, large eyes, a short pointed snout, short limbs and a long prehensile tail. The total head-and-body length (including the tail) is between 82 to 133 centimeters (32 to 52 inches), and the tail measures 39 to 57 centimeters (15 to 22 inches). The weight ranges from 1.4 to 5.2 kilograms (3.1 to 11.4 lbs). Females are generally smaller than males. The short, rounded ears measure 3.6 to 5.4 centimeters (1.4 to 2.1 inches). The eyes reflect green or bright yellow against light. The long, thick tongue is highly extrudable. The snout is dark brown to black. The claws are sharp and short. The coat color and thickness varies throughout the range and at different times of the year, with the summer coat being short and dark brown during the summer and the winter coat being long, thick, and lighter in color. Although the kinkajou is classified in the order Carnivora and has sharp teeth, its omnivorous diet consists mainly of fruit, including figs. To eat softer fruits the North American kinkajous hold it with their forepaws, then scoop out the succulent pulp with their tongue. They may play an important role in seed dispersal. Leaves, flowers, and various herbs make up 30% of their diet. They sometimes eat insects, particularly ants. It has been suggested, without direct evidence, that they may occasionally eat bird eggs and small vertebrates. Their frugivorous habits are actually convergent with those of (diurnal) South American spider monkeys and North American spider lemurs. North American kinkajous spend most of their life in trees, to which they are particularly well adapted. Like raccoons and South American kinkajous, North American kinkajous' remarkable manipulatory abilities rival those of primates. The North American kinkajou has a short-haired, fully prehensile tail (like some New World monkeys and adapiforms), which it uses as a "fifth hand" in climbing. It does not use its tail for grasping food. It can rotate its ankles and feet 180°, making it easy for the animal to run backward over tree limbs and climb down trees headfirst. Scent glands near the mouth, on the throat, and on the belly allow North American kinkajous to mark their territory and their travel routes. North American kinkajous sleep in family units and groom one another. While they are usually solitary when foraging, they occasionally forage in large groups, and sometimes associate with other nocturnal frugivores and omnivores. The larger North American kinkajous are dominant and will drive some smaller nocturnal frugivores away when food is scarce. Kinkajous breed during the spring, giving birth to one, two, or occasionally three small babies after a gestation period of 112 to 118 days. The conservation status of the North American kinkajou is **Least Concern** due to successful conservation efforts, the North American kinkajou's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities. Due to the fact that North American kinkajous are completely disease and virus-free and due to them being easy to keep and care for, North American kinkajous are legal to keep in most countries across Earth.