Book 17, Question 122
Who Works the Night Shift in the Rainforest?
When the Sun sets, a whole different crew wakes up in the rainforest! Night animals come out to eat, hunt, and sing. The night shift is as busy as the day shift.
More fun facts
- Kinkajous are rainforest mammals, found from southern Mexico through Brazil, that do their work at night.
- During the day, a kinkajou sleeps in a tree hollow, a crook between branches or among palm fronds.
- At night it comes out, stretches and scratches, then sets off to find food.
- Kinkajous are related to raccoons, and although they have sharp canine teeth, they eat mostly fruit and nectar.
- Their name means honey bear, because they raid beehives with a tongue about 13 centimeters long.
- A kinkajou can hang from the tip of its strong tail, then climb back up its own tail.
- Kinkajous spread seeds in their droppings, and one study suggests they may pollinate balsa trees better than bats do.
- Each kinkajou spends most of the night alone but may meet others at big fruiting trees.
Sources: animals.sandiegozoo.org, ielc.libguides.com
Questions kids ask
What does a kinkajou use its tail for?
It uses its tail for balance, to hold branches while reaching for food and even to snuggle with while it sleeps.