Binturong

• 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.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)

Habitat & 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)

Lifespan 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)