Panama - non-flying critters

[EdinAZ]

At our cloud forest cabin we saw Kinkajou, Cacomistle (ring-tailed cat) and Tayra. Couldn’t get good pictures of the last two (nocturnal, shy, and fast-moving when uneasy). My wife just loved the Kinkajou’s. They were more tame than our cats at home. She enjoyed petting them and feeding them ripe bananas (I know it’s “corrupting” the wildlife, and we usually behave better, but these little guys were pretty much irresistible.)

We were at the edge of a huge National Park area (Amistad) of hundreds of sq miles, joining a park in Costa Rica. There are also Jaguar, Puma and Ocelot living there, but of course that would be a VERY rare sighting. We did have an Ocelot in the area of our cabin (could tell by scent markings – very strong), but of course we didn’t see it.

In the lower (close to sea level) rain forest areas where we stayed we saw many sloths (both 2 and 3 toed varieties) and several kinds of monkeys (I’m not that interested in monkeys, so I didn’t try for pictures). Also saw Tayra again, and a Tamandua (small wooly anteater, about the size of a house cat).

Pictures, left to right:

• Kinkajou – we had these or Cacomistle (or both) visiting every night.
• Kinkajou – so tame they could be fed (ripe bananas) by hand.
• A mother and baby Kinkajou
• A “curious” baby Kinkajou – There was NO zoom on this photo, I had to keep backing the camera away so it wouldn’t put it’s nose on the lens.
• 2 toed sloth
• 3 toed sloth
• Tamandua
• Tamandua close-up

Ed

[Amanda L]

Very cool!! I love the 4th picture. Too cute!

[Paul]

Sounds like quite the trip!

[Sandy4453]

So glad you posted these pics, Ed. Thank You. From your description of the Kinkajou, they'd have me eating out of their hands, in no time. They look so sweet. And sloths have always intriqued me, the way they just hang...forever!

Really enjoyed seeing these. Hope you had a great time.