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May 27, 2022 · Binturongs, also known as bearcats, are found in South and Southeast Asia. They have shaggy, dark brown coats, sharp teeth and claws. They spend most of their time climbing and perching in trees.
- What Is A Binturong?
- Habitat and Diet
- Reproduction
- Threats to Survival
Sometimes called a bearcat because of its appearance, the binturong is actually a member of the Viverridae family, which includes animals such as civets and genets. The binturong has shaggy black hair, which is sometimes streaked with silver, and wiry whiskers that can give the animal a rather frumpy appearance. Though binturongs aren’t as agile as...
The binturong is native to the tropical rainforests of South and Southeast Asia, where it spends much of the day hidden in the canopy. Though they sport many adaptations for an arboreal lifestyle, binturongs do not seem to leap between trees. Instead, they must descend to the forest floor to investigate new areas. Even though the binturong belongs ...
Not much is known about how binturongs make baby binturongs, or binlets, but scientists believe most courtship takes place in the trees. Because the animals are thought to be territorial, scent markings may play a large role in helping binturongs find members of the opposite sex. Like the other members of the Viverridae family, binturongs have powe...
The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List classifies the binturong as vulnerable to extinction. It is considered rare throughout its range, and its population is thought to be on the decline. The most pressing threats to binturong populations are habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentationbecause of logging and agriculture. Bin...
- They smell like buttered popcorn. Binturongs produce secretions from glands located at the base of their tail. These secretions are believed to function as carriers for pheromones used to demark territories and signal to other binturongs.
- Their long tails can act like an extra arm. A binturong’s tail can measure almost the same length as its body. Like an elephant’s trunk, it is prehensile, meaning it can grasp onto items and maneuver them.
- Their tails have a special patch of skin that help them grip onto objects. At the tip of their prehensile tails, there is a special area that feels like leather.
- Their extremely flexible ankles make them expert climbers. On flat ground, binturongs are slow and clumsy. They waddle with their bodies low to the ground.
- Taxonomic classification of the binturong. Since the binturong is part of the Feliformia suborder, they can be considered ‘cat-like’ animals, but this is not the same as being a type of cat.
- Characteristics of the binturong. As we mentioned, the bearcat is the largest species of viverrid. Their weight ranges between 9-20 kg (19-44 lbs). They can be up to a meter in length, with an additional tail length of 90 cm, almost as long as their body.
- Behavior of the binturong. Although not very territorial, the binturong has solitary habits. They generally avoid others of the same species, except during mating season.
- Where does the binturong live? The binturong is a species native to Asia, specifically in countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Binturongs are medium sized mammals, which are also known as the “bearcat,” or the “Asian bearcat,” because they look like a cross between a bear and a cat. However, they are not related to either bears or cats; they are a civet. Binturongs live high in the trees of forests in South-East Asia. Read on to learn about the binturong.
Feb 29, 2024 · This unique animal is a forest-dweller and uses its prehensile tail to climb tree branches. Like other carnivores (order Carnivora), bearcats use scent signaling to communicate. But bearcats give off an odor that's more like popcorn than pee; read more about why binturong urine smells like hot popcorn .
Binturongs are also known as bearcats. Photograph by Cameron Spencer, Staff, Getty Images News. Animals. Mammals. Binturong. A 40-pound mammal creeps along a tree branch in a steamy forest. The...
