Binturong

Physical features

• Binturongs are also known as Asian bearcats for their resemblance to both animals. Their face looks like a cat’s while their body looks like a bear’s. However, they are not closely related to either animal. Their closest relatives are civets (similarly sized, long-bodied carnivores native to Asia, Africa and Europe).

• Binturongs weigh between 30-50 lbs. (13-22 kgs.). Their prehensile tail makes up about half of their total body length which ranges from 43-69 inches (110-174 cm).

• The base of their tail is thick and muscular while the tip features a leathery patch that helps them grip trees. Only the last 1/3 of the tail is prehensile.

• Females are about 20% larger and heavier than males and are the dominant sex.

• Their shaggy hair varies in color from brown to black and features white or silver tips. Their catlike face features long whiskers, amber eyes, and long tufts of ear hair.

Diet: Omnivore

• Wild – Fruit, vegetables, birds, small mammals, fish. They may opportunistically eat carrion, small invertebrates, eggs, leaves and plant shoots.

• Zoo – Mice, omnivore biscuits, eggs, fruit, vegetables

• Although classified in the order Carnivora, binturongs are omnivores that primarily eat fruit.

Reproduction

• Females reach sexual maturity at about 30 months of age while males reach sexual maturity a few months earlier at about 27 months.

• Mating may occur any time of year, but most births occur between February and April. Females initiate copulation and have been observed using their tails during mating to grab the male’s torso or tail base.

• Gestation lasts approximately 82 to 92 days, though delayed implantation does occur. Typical litter size is 1 or 2 but can be up to 6. Young are weaned between 6 to 8 weeks old.

• Males will sometimes stay with the female after mating, but most parental care is provided by females. Adults typically live solitarily, but small family groups of a female and her young have been observed. When a male is present in the group, he is subordinate to the female.

Interpretive Information

• Nine subspecies have been proposed, distinguished primarily by their geographic range.

• Populations in the northern portion of their range are in decline primarily due to hunting for their meat, skin, fur, and the pet industry. Their meat is considered a delicacy in some countries within their range.

• These arboreal mammals are not particularly agile and typically have to descend to the ground to move from one tree to another. Ankles that can rotate 180 degrees help binturongs descend from trees head-first.

• Binturongs are one of only two carnivores with a prehensile tail. The other is the kinkajou.

• Binturongs drag their tails on branches to mark their territory. A gland under the tail produces an oil that most people say smells like popcorn. In addition to discouraging predators, scent marking helps them find mates. Despite marking their territory, they’re not particularly territorial, as evidenced by overlapping home ranges.

• Binturongs make a variety of vocalizations including snorts and chuckles when happy and a high-pitched wail when bothered. They also make loud howls, low grunts and hisses.

• It is not uncommon to see binturongs as program animals at other AZA facilities, participating in educational activities and meeting guests up close.

• Binturongs have good vision in both light and dark conditions, so reports of activity patterns vary. Some sources report them to be nocturnal while others report them as diurnal or crepuscular. A common observation is reduced activity from midday to late afternoon.

• They are decent swimmers and have been documented diving to obtain food.

• The population of binturongs managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) is declining due to an aging population. About 1/3 of the current population is non-breeding.

Updated December 2019