Binturong

Binturong

• 
• Pie de imagen: A.K.A. Asian bearcat, Malay civet cat

Binturong

• Poppy (female)
• Born @ ? Zoo, June 2016 (2 years old in 2018)
• Lifespan: 15-18 years
• Handling: You will not be touching this animal unless explicitly directed to by Beth.

Binturong

• Range: Palawan Island (Southeast Asia)
• Habitat: Tropical Forests, may prefer mature forests
• While arboreal, the adults have to climb down to the ground to switch trees
• Threats: Deforestation, pollution, humans (pet trade, food, fur trade, medicinal beliefs)
• Defensive mechanisms: Teeth, claws, vocalizations, gland expressions
• Status: Vulnerable (30% population loss over 18 yrs)
• Predators: Humans (hawks and large snakes may pick off small offspring)
• Diet: Birds, fish, mammals, invertebrates, eggs, insects, fruit, leaves, carrion
• Zoo diet: fruits, vegetables, dog food, mice, hard boiled eggs

Binturong

• Size: 20-45 lbs, 3.75'-6', Females are 20-30% larger than males
• Activity: Nocturnal (They have good eyesight, so they can be awake whenever they prefer-cathemeral)
• Social Structure: Females are dominant (~2.5sqmi range). Live alone or in small family groups of mother and young offspring, males sometimes stay with female after breeding.
• Reproduction: Copulation occurs in trees. Delayed implantation! 1-6 kittens in a litter; they hide in mother's fur for the first few days, domestic cat sized at 6-8 weeks old, sexually mature around 2.5 yrs
• Fun Facts:
• Only known disperser of strangler fig seeds (through digestion)
• Territorial/communicative scent smells like buttered popcorn
• One of two prehensile tailed carnivores (other is Kinkajou); their feet can also turn 180* to help them climb down trees face first
• A.K.A. Asian bearcat and Malay civet cat- they are not related to bears or cats, but to civets and fossa
• "Arctictus" (genus) stands for "Bear weasel"
• Good swimmers
• Popular collegiate mascot

Resources

• http://www.chesterzoo.org/explore-the-zoo/animals/mammals/other-mammals/palawan-binturong
• http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/binturong
• http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/41690/0
• http://eol.org/pages/328085/details
• Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium education handbook
• Asian animal?
• opossum
• Prehensile Tailed Porcupine
• Kinkajou