Binturong

Binturong

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Caption: : 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