Binturong
Binturong Facts
| Size | 28-33 inches (71-84 cm) (body) |
| Speed | Up to 15 mph (24 km/h) (short distances) |
| Weight | 28-33 pounds (13-15 kg) |
| Lifespan | 10-15 years |
| Food | Fruit, insects, birds |
| Predators | Tigers, snakes |
| Distribution | South-East-Asia |
| Habitat | Rainforest |
| Order | Carnivore |
| Family | Viverrids |
| Scientific name | Arctictis binturong |
| Characteristics | Looks like a mix of bear and cat |
Main Characteristics
The Binturong is a viverrid that lives in tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia. Although it is a predator, it feeds primarily on fruits. Its most striking features are its long, shaggy fur, its long, white whiskers and its prehensile tail. It is one of the animals that have a surprising odor: it smells like popcorn!
Species
Binturongs look like a type of raccoon or coati and are often considered as smaller relatives of the bear family. This is why they're also known as bearcats. In fact, these animals don't belong to the bear family. They are viverrids. They're closely related to the civet, genet, mongoose and ferret cat (also called fossa).
Distribution and Habitat
Binturongs live in Southeast Asia, primarily India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Philippines and Indonesia - especially on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Palawan. Their habitat is dense, moist rainforests with slow moving waters.
Life Style
Binturongs are nocturnal animals that spend most of their time in trees. They're either solitary or form small groups made up of parents and their young.
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
Since there are only a few animals left, the figures about their size and weight vary. Their body length is 28-33 inches (71-84 cm). The tail is 25-27 inches (66-69 cm) long. They weigh 28-33 pounds (13-15 kg). The females are about 20% larger than the males. That's interesting because with mammals it's usually the other way around.
Fur
Binturongs have long, coarse and shaggy fur. It is dark gray, dark brown or black. At the tips the hairs are light gray to white.
Scent Glands
Binturongs have scent glands, emitting a liquid that smells like popcorn.
Prehensile Tail
The binturong and the Kinkajou (a small bear) are the only two mammal predators that have a prehensile tail. They use it for climbing and gripping onto branches. It also helps them maintain balance while climbing.
Whiskers
Binturongs have long, white whiskers that look like a cat's. They can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) in length.
Claws
Binturongs have long and strong, semi-retractable claws. Just like our domestic cats, they sharpen them on tree bark or other things.
Binturong or Sloth – What’s the Difference?
Binturongs and sloths have many things in common: they have shaggy fur and long claws, spend a lot of time in trees, hang upside down on branches and sleep a lot. It's no wonder that these two might be mixed up at first sight. However, there are many differences. The biggest one, of course, is that binturongs are civet cats, while sloths are xenarthrans. Sloths also don't have tails.
Diet
Binturongs are predators and considered carnivores. However, they mainly feed on fruits. Sometimes they eat small birds, rodents and fish. They also consume invertebrates, insects, eggs and carrion.
Behavior
Are Binturongs Dangerous?
Binturongs feed primarily on fruits. They're also very calm and friendly. However, that doesn't mean that an encounter can't be dangerous. When they're frightened, they bite. Their sharp teeth can cause serious wounds.
Communication
Smell
Binturongs communicate with their conspecifics through smells. There is a scent gland at the root of their tail that emits an oily liquid, smelling like popcorn. When they rub their tail against a tree trunk, the liquid sticks to it, turning the tree into a “message center” and thus allowing other binturongs to see if there's a potential mate or a competitor close by.
Sounds
Binturongs communicate how they feel using sounds: they snort when curious about something, chuckle when happy, screech like a cat if bothered, they howl, grunt and hiss.
Grooming
Binturongs groom themselves by licking their fur with their tongue and using their front paws to clean their face, similar to how domestic cats groom themselves.
Locomotion
Binturongs walk flat-footed. They place their entire foot on the ground. This is unusual because big cats are usually toe walkers. In addition, they don't use a contralateral gait. Instead, they amble. They move their front and hind legs on the same side at the same time. Bears, camels, elephants and giraffes walk this way, too.
Senses and Abilities
Climbing
Binturongs don't jump from one tree to another - they're too heavy for that. Instead, they have to climb down one tree and then back up the other. They developed a unique ability to reach the ground quickly and safely: they descend while upside down. Cats usually can't do this. Their claws can't get hold of the tree bark because they're curved inwards. Things are different with the binturongs. They do have curved claws, too, but they can rotate their hind legs 180 degrees. As a result, the claws cling to the bark enabling them to climb downwards while upside down.
Swimming
Binturongs are adept at swimming and also enjoy diving.
Jumping
Binturongs are bad at jumping. They also can't jump from tree to tree, as they're far too heavy for that.
Sense of Sight
Binturongs have an excellent vision both day and night.
Life Expectancy
In the wild, binturongs live 10-15 years.
Enemies and Threats
Natural Enemies
Binturongs face few threats in the wild, with tigers and snakes being occasional predators, while the young may fall prey to birds of prey.
People
The biggest threat to binturongs is humans. The animals used to be widespread, but today they're rarely seen. They're killed for their meat and for making clothes from their fur. In Asia, their body parts fetch high prices because they're considered delicacies. They're even said to have healing effects. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. Deforestation and burning of forests is also a major problem, resulting in habitat loss. They're caught and sold as pets, because they can be tamed very easily. Since the animals are rarely kept in a species-appropriate manner, they suffer greatly and often die prematurely.
Coffee
The most expensive coffee in the world comes from civet cats. They like to eat coffee cherries. However, the beans don't break down in their intestines, but are fermented. Coffee lovers are convinced that the coffee that is made of these cherries delivers an amazing taste experience. Since binturongs are civet cats, they're captured for the production of Kopi Luwak (civet cat coffee), kept in battery cages and forced to eat the cherries.
Endangered Species
Binturongs are considered an endangered species. At this time, nobody knows how many there are left. They're so rare that there aren't even estimates. However, the IUCN believes that their numbers have decreased by 30% in the last 30 years.
Importance for the Ecosystem
Binturongs are very important to the rainforest. They're like gardeners. They consume fruits and help in the dispersal of seeds through their droppings, resulting in the regeneration of new plants from the scattered seeds.
Binturong as a Pet
Gentle Exotics
Binturongs are very gentle and good-natured animals. They can be caught very easily and usually don't defend themselves. Since exotic pets are particularly sought after, they have been sold all over the world in recent decades. This is one of the reasons why the animals are considered endangered.
Keeping Them
Do Binturong make good pets and can you provide them with a home that matches their needs? Keeping them is not that easy because they need dense tropical rainforest to feel comfortable. They also need tropical fruits for food. Before considering buying binturongs, you should also know that there must be an outdoor enclosure of at least 1,070 square feet (100 m²), 800 square feet (75 m²) for one animal and 270 square feet (15 m²) for the second. In there, the temperature has to be at least 64 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius) - even in winter.
Reproduction
After mating, the fertilized egg doesn't always develop immediately. The female can decide to delay the gestation period. This is clever because sometimes the food supplies aren't sufficient or the time of year is adverse. The actual gestation period begins when the female considers the conditions to be perfect. The babies are born after about 90 days. At birth, they're blind and deaf and hide in their mother's fur. They're being nursed and after 6-8 weeks they eat fruit for the first time. At the age of one year, they're considered adults. They reproduce for the first time when they're 2.5 years old.
Fun Facts
Flying
A popular quiz question is whether binturongs can fly. No, they can't do that.
The Binturong Is Related To:
- Viverrids
