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  3. Binturong
Binturong (Arctictis binturong)

Mammals · Carnivora · Viverridae

Binturong

Arctictis binturong

Vulnerable

At high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term.

Spotted something wrong?

Its distinctive scent, likened to buttered popcorn, comes from a compound called 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline in its glandular secretions.

Weight

9 kg – 20 kg

Size

60 cm – 96 cm

Life expectancy

18 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

Rainforest
13countries22parks3same family

AI-generated images: illustrations, not photographs.

Fun facts

  • It is one of the few Old World carnivores with a prehensile tail, used as a genuine fifth limb when climbing.
  • It feeds mainly on figs and other forest fruit, supplemented with small vertebrates and invertebrates.
  • It is the largest viverrid, living in the dense tropical forests of South and South-East Asia.
  • comunicaciónIt gives off a scent much like freshly made popcorn, thanks to a chemical compound in its urine used to mark territory.
  • anatomíaIt is one of the few carnivores with a prehensile tail, which it uses as a fifth limb to move through the branches.

Life cycle and biology

Skeleton type
Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat and environment
Dense tropical forest of South and South-East Asia, living mainly in the trees
Birth weight
~142 g at birth, eyes closed
Size at birth
~142 g at birth
Sexual maturity
Female: ~30 months | Male: ~28 months
Gestation / incubation
84-99 days (~90-92 days), possibly including delayed implantation
Litter / clutch size
1 to 6 young per litter (most commonly 2)
Life expectancy in captivity
Documented record of up to 25-27 years

Sources consulted: A-Z Animals; Animal Diversity Web; AnimalWised; Discover Wildlife; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info)

Where to find it

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The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.

Where to see it

Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 10 of 22.

Related species

Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Binturong — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.

Same taxonomic family
Shares a park
Shares a park
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How to help

The binturong is classified as vulnerable. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.

It's documented in 9 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.

Keep exploring

Based on what we already know about binturong.

Comments

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See full glossary
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See its range on the interactive map→
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Taman NegaraMalaysia
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CountriesMalaysia
ParksGunung LeuserIndonesia
TagsOmnivore
Omnivore
Nocturnal
Solitary
Vulnerable
Rainforest
Mammal
Malaysia
Indonesia
Thailand
Philippines
Brunei
Singapore
Brunei
Cambodia
China
Indonesia
Laos
Malaysia
Myanmar
Philippines
Singapore
Taiwan
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Vietnam