BINTURONG: CHARACTERISTICS, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION

BINTURONG

binturong

Binturong (Arctictis binturong) are also called Asian bear cats. They are arboreal (tree-dwelling) members of the Viverridae (genet and civet) family that live in the rainforests of South Asia, Southeast Asia, China, and the some other islands of Indonesia — more specifically eastern India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam, Sumatra, Borneo, China and Palawan in the Philippines. They are also found on the Indonesian islands of Java, Nias, Riau and Bangka and some other islands in Indonesia and the Philippines. Binturongs are primarily arboreal (live mainly in trees), and live in the canopies of tall trees in dense, tropical forests but are somewhat adaptable. In Laos, they inhabit evergreen forests; in the Philippines they make their home in primary and secondary lowland forests with grasslands

The binturong is sort of like Asia’s answer to the three-toed sloth. David Attenborough wrote: “It looks like a yard-long black hearth rug, and is so supremely confident in its areal domain that it moves in a very leisurely way, plucking a fruit or leaf here and there, and often does so hanging beneath a branch as happily as does clambering above it.” Binturong are difficult to see because they live so high in the canopy and are most active at night. It marks its territory with a strong scent and is often sensed by smell and sound rather than sight. It grunts and “chuckles” when it moves and produces a strong odor that has been compared to buttered popcorn or Fritos. It is not known how many of them there are. They can live up to 18 years in the wild and have lived over 25 years in captivity.

Binturongs are in the order Carnivora but are classified omnivores (eat a variety of things, including plants and animals) and are primarily frugivorous (fruit eating). They eat fruits such as those of the strangler fig tree (Ficus altissima) as well as shoots and leaves. Animal foods include birds, rodents, other small mammals, fish eggs, carrion and insects. Binturong are opportunistic feeders and good hunters. They are capable of leaping to catch small animals and birds. They have been observed leaping two meters through the air to catch a duck by landing on top of it.

Binturongs are endangered. Their populations have declined more than 30 percent over the last 30 years. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List they are listed as Vulnerable and listed as Critically Endangered on the China Red List. Their main threats are deforestation, the wildlife trade, and hunting. Deforestation and habitat degradation have been most severe in the south of their range. In some places their fur and meat are desired and they are sometimes kept as pets. They are protected in Malaysia and other countries but this often doesn’t mean much. Better enforcement of laws against poaching and habitat degradation are needed. Binturongs are large, strong animals that hang out high in the trees are rarely taken by large predators such as leopards and tigers and sometimes dog-like dholes but a study conducted within binturong range examined the scat of 172 dholes and found no evidence of binturongs,

Binturong Taxonomy

Binturongs belong to the monotypic genus Arctictis in the order Carnivora and subfamily Paradoxurinae. This genus has only one extant species — binturongs (Arctictis binturong) — due to morphological traits such as perineal scent glands, syndactyly (fussion) of the third and fourth digits of the hind foot, and a prehensile tail. [Source: Chanel Archuleta, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Binturongs were named by Thomas Stamford Raffles in 1822 after an individual was first discovered in Malaysia. Due to similar morphological traits, binturongs were placed in family Viverridae, specifically in subfamily Paradoxurina, which consists of five genera, including binturongs and palm civets. Members of this subfamily are good climbers, have fussed third and fourth digits, are often frugivorous (fruit eating), and have scent glands, which they use for communication. /=\

Ther are six binturong subspecies: 1) A. binturong albifrons, 2) A. binturong binturong, 3) A. binturong kerkhoveni, 4) A. binturong menglaensis, 5) A. binturong penicillatus, and 6) A. binturong whitei. Subspecies are identified mainly based on the regions where they live. Recently, mitochondrial markers have been used to determine the systematic statuses of the subspecies. Museum and zoo specimens have assisted this research. /=\

Viverridae

binturong range

The Viverridae family is a family of small to medium-sized, somewhat cat-like mammals, comprising 14 genera with 33 species, that includes genets and civets. Viverridae typically have a long body and tail, short legs, an elongated neck and head and a tapered snout. Most civets and genets have spots in longitudinal rows along the body. All species have scent glands in the anal region, and in civets these produce a substance used in perfumes. Some viverrids are carnivorous while others eat only fruit, even though they possess the teeth of a carnivore. Most are ominvorous, and eat small mammals and birds, lizards or invertebrates

Most members of the Viverridae family are solitary. Viverrids are native to Africa (except the area immediately south of the Mediterranean), Madagascar, the Iberian Peninsula, southern China, and South and Southeast Asia. Favored habitats include woodlands, savannas, and mountain biomes and, above all, tropical rainforests. As a consequence, many are faced with severe loss of habitat; several species are considered vulnerable and the Otter Civet is classified as endangered. Some species of civet are very rare and elusive and hardly anything is known about them. Hose's Civet, endemic to the montane forests of northern Borneo, is one of the world's least known carnivores. While the Viverridae family is a large group with many species, the habits of many species are poorly known.

Binturong Characteristics

Binturongs are thickset and heavy-looking and seem too big to be wandering around the canopy of rainforest trees. They range in weight from nine to 20 kilograms (19.8 to 44 pounds) and have a head and body length that ranges from 60 to 96 centimeters (23.6 to 37.8 inches), excluding a a furry 56- to 89-centimeter (22- to 35-inch) -long tail with a prehensile tip. Their average basal metabolic rate is 12.747 watts. Sexual Dimorphism (differences between males and females) is present: Females are 20 percent larger than males.[Source: Molly Schleif, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Binturongs are the largest species in the Viverridae (civet and genet) family. They have a long, shaggy black coat that covers their body with coarse hair and no real markings except sometimes has gray tips on older individuals. They often look tousled and roughed up. They have short muzzles with thick, white whiskers. Their tooth dentition matches that of other carnivores, consisting of six incisors, two canines, and six molars. They are quadrupedal (use all four limbs for walking and running) but heir hind legs are well-adapted for climbing, as the third and fourth claws are joined together, giving them greater leverage when grasping branches. [Source: Chanel Archuleta, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Binturongs have tufted ears five claws on each foot that are not retractile. Their faces have slightly lighter fur and white whiskers. Long ear tufts protrude from their small rounded ears. Their eyes are small and reddish brown. Binturongs are one of two carnivorous species that have a prehensile tail (the other is the kinkajou of South America). Their third and fourth digits are syndactylous (webbed or fused together). /=\

Binturong Behavior

skull and teeth of a binturong

Binturongs are arboreal (live mainly in trees), scansorial (able to or good at climbing), nocturnal (active at night), crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk), motile (move around as opposed to being stationary) and solitary. They have a mean annual range size of 6.2 square kilometers with a mean overlap of 35 percent. The overlap of ranges suggests that binturongs aren't territorial (defend an area within the home range) but just avoid each other. [Source: Molly Schleif, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Binturongs spend most of their nocturnal waking hours combing the rain forest canopy for food. They are most active in early morning or at dusk and are occasionally diurnal (active during the day. Their activity peaks between 4:01 to 6:00 and 20:00 to 22:00 according to Grassman et al. who also described reduced activity from midday to late afternoon. They eat wild fruits, insects and small birds and hunt by catching small animals with their paws and teeth. During the day they like to curl up on a secluded branch. When they moves on the ground or straight branches they look awkward and ambles along with a swaying gait of a plantigrade animal (those that walk on the soles of their feet like human or bears).

Bingturong are good at climbing and move around in big and tall trees. Their tail is quite flexible and can coil on branches during climbing. According to Animal Diversity Web: Their long fingers that are ideal for grabbing onto branches and a long muscular tail that serves as a brake when the civet runs down trees and a prop when it stands on its hind legs. When it is moving through the branches it does so slowly and will not let go with its tail until it has a sure grip with its four limbs. Their prehensile tail acts as another limb as they climb slowly and carefully. Their hind legs can rotate backwards to enhance their back claws’ ability to grasp as they climb trunks.

Binturongs are mostly solitary and tend to evade each other. They spend the majority of their time climbing, but also have a high level of ground activity as they are too large to jump from tree to tree. Binturongs have also been documented swimming and diving in order to obtain food. When they walk, they do so by ambling with flat feet. Binturongs usually clean themselves by licking and scratching their fur.

Binturong Senses and Communication

Binturongs sense using vision, touch, sound and chemicals usually detected with smell. They communicate with sound and chemicals usually detected by smelling. They also leave scent marks produced by special glands and placed so others can smell and taste them. [Source: Molly Schleif, Chanel Archuleta, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

According to Animal Diversity Web: This species is known to be very vocal, communicating with loud screams and cackling sounds. Binturongs tend to be very vocal when aggravated; they warn off predators and competitors using auditory cues and their scent glands. The scent glands in their tails also deter competitors from crossing into territories.

Binturongs communicate primarily through olfactory means. Both sexes have sent glands on each side of their anuses and females have another pair of sent glands around their vulva. These sent glands mark trees as they climb and let other binturongs know where they have been. The scent created is described as that of corn chips or popcorn,which is due to the bacteria in their intestines. /=\

Binturongs also use vocal communication such as loud howls, low grunts, and hisses. Females receptive to copulations make a purring sound. Males and females produce a chuckling noise when they are happy and a high-pitched wail if they are upset. Binturongs are also visually adapted to see in a wide range of light as they have elliptical pupils that adjust readily /=\

Binturong Mating and Reproduction

Binturongs are monogamous (have one mate at a time) and engage in year-round breeding. They tend to breed twice a year, engage in embryonic diapause (temporary suspension of development of the embryo) and engage in delayed implantation (a condition in which a fertilized egg reaches the uterus but delays its implantation in the uterine lining, sometimes for several months). On average females reach sexual or reproductive maturity at 30 months and males do so at 27.7 months. [Source: Molly Schleif, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Little research has been done on the reproduction and mating behavior of binturongs. They are generally solitary unless females are in estrus, in which case they make a call that attracts males. Males often act defensively towards females unless they are in estrus. In 2011 Michael Zwirn reported that the father of a mated pair remained with the mother and young after birth, suggesting monogamy.

Because there doesn't seem to a mating season for binturongs but there does seem to be an increase in births from January to March, it has been suggested that binturongs employ delayed implantation.

Binturong Offspring and Parenting

After a 92 day gestation period female binturongs give birth to one to three young that reach adult size in one year. The number of offspring ranges from one to six, with the average number of offspring being two. The age in which young are weaned ranges from six to eight weeks. [Source: Molly Schleif, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Parental care is provided by both females and males. During the pre-weaning and pre-independence stages provisioning and protecting are done by males and females. The post-independence period is characterized by the association of offspring with their parents. Males are on hand around the time young are born but males don't always stay and help females raise their young. Groups of binturongs usually only include the mother with immature females.

Binturongs are altricial. This means that young are born relatively underdeveloped and are unable to feed or care for themselves or move independently for a period of time after birth. Newborns have an average weight of 142 grams and are born with their eyes closed. Young remain hidden in their mother’s fur for the first few days and are weaned at about six to eight weeks

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.org ; National Geographic, Live Science, Natural History magazine, David Attenborough books, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Discover magazine, The New Yorker, Time, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Wikipedia, The Guardian, Top Secret Animal Attack Files website and various books and other publications.

Last updated January 2025