Characteristics
Binturongs, also known as bearcats, live in the canopies of tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia. They use their prehensile tail, which can be as long as their body, as another limb to help them climb. They play a crucial role in the rainforest ecosystem. Through their feces, they spread seeds from the fruits they eat, helping to replant the forest.
What’s that Smell?
Many animals use scent to communicate. Binturongs have an oil gland under their tail, which marks trees as they climb. It lets other binturongs know they are trespassing, or may help attract a mate. Binturongs have a distinctive odor, similar to that of popcorn.
Behavior
Binturongs typically live alone or in small family groups, consisting of a female and her immature offspring.
Our Animals
Potter Park Zoo is home to two binturong – Barry, a male born in 2017 at the Brookfield Zoo, and Thistle, a female born in 2019 at the Roger Williams Zoo.
