Binturongs

Arctictis Binturong

Range

• Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Phillippines, Thailand, Vietnam.

Habitat

• Dense tropical forests

Diet

• Mainly fruit

Binturongs are often called bearcats, but they are actually related to civets and fossas.

They spend most of their time in trees and use scent glands to mark their territory. The scent smells like popcorn to most people. Binturongs are amazing climbers due to their padded paws, semi-retractable claws, and ankles that turn 180 degrees. Their tail also helps since the last third of their tail is prehensile and has a leathery patch at the tip.