Common Name: Bear Cat
Order: Carnivora
Family: Viverridae
Genus: Arctictis
Species: binturong

Range & Habitat
Temperate Forests of Southeast Asia, Burma, Sumatra, Java and Borneo.

Reproduction & Growth
Mating season is all year, peaking in March-April and October-November. They begin breeding at the age of two and can have two litters a year. Gestation period is three months. Females have two pair of teats and although litters can range up to six young, one or two are more common. Cubs are born blind, helpless and rely on mother's milk for sustenance. They begin taking solid food after two months. Both parents care for the young and will exhibit aggressive behavior to protect the young. At one year, the cubs are fully grown and move away. As adults they weigh approximately 30-40 pounds and live up to 18 years.

Diet - Carnivore (but will eat vegetation!)
In the Wild: Fruits, plant matter and carrion. Known to swim and catch fish.

In the Zoo: Dog food, minerals and vitamins

General Information
Mainly arboreal and nocturnal. Vocalizations include low grunts or hisses when moving about; and growls fiercely when aroused. Their prehensile tail is used for both balance and gripping tree limbs. It is a skillful climber, with sharp, curved claws that are useful for seizing the uneven surfaces of tree bark. It can descend a tree head first like a squirrel. Smell is the most important sense to a binturong but their vision and hearing are well developed. Binturongs have an unusual odor, like corn chips or popcorn. They mark their territory with scent by secreting a musk-like substance from scent glands which is spread passively as they move through their habitat. The binturong is endangered in the wild due to habitat destruction and also for use in the medical trade in SE Asia where it is commonly used as an aphrodisiac.

In the Zoo
Currently we have two Binturongs, a male - Oscar and a female Darla.

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