adept at tree climbing and are as apt to be seen in trees
as on the ground. They feed on all manner of things,
including fruits, ground- dwelling invertebrates, and
lizards and mice. When they are not hunted, they
become easy to observe.
The Kinkajou (Potos flavus; plate 16- 47) is smaller than
a coati and uniformly grayish tan, and has an extremely
long prehensile tail. The species ranges throughout
forests of Central and South America. Kinkajous are as
nocturnal as coatis are diurnal. They scurry about the
tree branches at night, often making loud squeaking
vocalizations, the banshees of the rain forest canopy.
They can often be seen if you search by shining a
flashlight with a strong beam that will penetrate the
canopy at night (plate 16- 48). Kinkajous have forward-
placed large eyes and wide, rounded ears and thus look
a bit like monkeys. They feed mostly on fruits (look for
Kinkajous in fig trees) but also take small animals.
The Olingo (Bassaricyon gabbii; plate 16- 49)
resembles a Kinkajou in face and body shape, but it
has a grayer- brown coat color and a faintly ringed,
non- prehensile tail. Olingos range less widely than
Kinkajous, occurring mostly in humid forests of
western Amazonia and much of Central America.
They are not well studied and are seen far less often
than Kinkajous, with which they share similar habits.
They are nocturnal, rarely leave the trees, and feed
on fruits and small animals. Some taxonomists have
suggested that there are as many as six olingo species,
all geographically separated.
The weasel family (Mustelidae) is represented in
the tropics by several noteworthy animals. The most
common is the 60 cm (2 ft) long Tayra (Eira barbara;
plate 16- 50). Resembling a large mink or marten, the
Tayra is a sleek, blackish- brown animal with a buffy
face (which may be more black than buffy on somePlate 16- 46. The South American Coati has a dark snout and
white chin. Photo by Sean Williams.
Plate 16- 47. Kinkajous are sometimes encountered during the
day, but they are more commonly nocturnal. Photo by Gina
Nichol.Plate 16- 48. Kinkajous travel in family groups and typically
forage at night. Photo by Sean Williams.340 chapter 16 from monkeys to tarantulas: endless eccentricities