Have you had kinkajou stew?

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While researching the lyrics of the song, My Boomerang Won’t Come Back, I came across the phrase ‘kinkajou stew’. I had an idea a kinkajou was an animal so I Googled it and sure enough, it is a small mammal which is found in southern parts of Mexico and in Central and South America. It is found in varied habitats from tropical rainforests to mountain and dry forests. Apparently, in some countries these animals are kept as house pets. Its taxonomical name is ‘Potos flavus’. What is really fascinating about these creatures is that the ankles on the hind legs can rotate to allow the animal to move in any direction in their arboreal habitat. The prehensile tail acts much like a fifth limb and also keeps them warm at night. It is sometimes called a ‘honey bear’ with its large eyes, small ears and short legs. The 5-inch long tongue comes in handy for extracting nectar from flowers. Feeding in this way also assists in the pollination of flowers. They have a double coat consisting of a grey undercoat and golden outer coat. In captivity, they may live up to 25 years. Have you ever heard of a kinkajou? Image: Kalamazoo Public Library [No restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons