BINTURONG

Arctictis binturong

Class Mammalia; Order Carnivora; Family Viveridae; Subfamily Paradoxurinae; Genus Arctictis; Species Arctictis binturong

Binturongs, also called bear cats, are classed as carnivores but eat mostly fruit. They are related to civets and fossas but look more like gigantic dust mops and smell like a freshly made batch of popcorn! Their long ear tufts and reddish brown eyes give them an endearing appearance but it's one that isn’t seen very often in the wild by humans.

Binturongs have thick, black fur, a long, muscular tail, and long, stiff, white whiskers. They use their prehensile tail almost like another hand; young binturongs can even hang by their tail. Binturongs grow to be up to about 5 feet (1.5 m) long. Like other civets, the binturongs use scent marks to communicate with other binturongs. Binturongs also make lots of noises to communicate. A binturong can make chuckling sounds when it’s happy and will utter a high-pitched wail if bothered. They also make loud howls, low grunts, and hisses. In captivity, binturongs live for about 30 years.

Binturongs is found in dense forests ranging across northeastern India, Indochina, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Sumatra, Bangka, the Rhio Archipelago, Java, Borneo, and Palawan (Ewer 1973; Kleiman 1974; Wemmer and Murtaugh 1981; Macdonald 1987; Nowak 1991).

Arctictis binturong are slow moving arboreal animals that live alone or in small groups of adults with immature offspring (Ewer 1973; Kleiman 1974; Nowak 1991). Almost always, the female is dominant (Gensch 1962; Aquilina and Beyer 1979; Wemmer and Murtaugh 1981). At Zoologischer Garten Dresden in Germany, the male stayed with the family group after the birth of two cubs with no observed aggression. In fact, the female allowed him to enter the nest box on several occasions (Gensch 1962).

The Binturongs is an important animal for seed dispersal, especially those of the Strangler Fig, because of its ability to scarify the seed's tough outer covering. Binturongs are listed as vulnerable in some parts of their range and endangered in others. Nowhere in the wild are they common, though, and they are currently at risk due to habitat destruction and poaching for the traditional medicine and fur trades. They are also considered to be a delicacy in some areas and are hunted for food.