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Binturong

Mammals

The binturong, sometimes called the bearcat, is a large arboreal mammal native to the forests of South and Southeast Asia, from India through Indonesia and the Philippines, and despite its common name it is neither a bear nor a cat but belongs to the civet family. It has shaggy black fur, a bristly face resembling a cat, and a long, muscular prehensile tail that it uses as a fifth limb while climbing, one of only a small number of carnivoran mammals with this ability. Binturongs are mostly nocturnal and slow-moving, feeding on fruit, especially figs, along with small animals, eggs and vegetation, and they play an important role in dispersing the seeds of the fruit they eat. They are noted for a distinctive musky scent, often compared to warm popcorn, produced by scent glands used to mark territory. Habitat loss from deforestation and hunting for the pet and traditional medicine trades have caused population declines, and the species is classified as vulnerable.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Omnivore 2
System (Realm)
Terrestrial 3
Relationship to People
Used in Traditional Medicine 1
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Derived from this species' own Conservation Status: this atlas's IUCN category list has no Extinct value, so a set conservation-status is itself evidence of living status (w-bfill-g5-0924 browse backfill).
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
The binturong has a thick coat of coarse black hair and a long, bushy, prehensile tail, thick at the base and tapering to a curled tip, used for climbing and balance in trees. 1
Scientific Name
Arctictis binturong 1
Conservation Status
Vulnerable 1
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Viverridae, Taxa
Source Catalogue of Life

In Biome

Source Binturong (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Binturong (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Wikipedia: Binturong, lead paragraph
    The binturong (Arctictis binturong), also known as the bearcat, is an arboreal viverrid native to South and Southeast Asia.
  • Wikipedia: Binturong, Conservation status section
    It has been assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
  • Wikipedia: Binturong, Description section
    The binturong has a thick coat of coarse black hair, a bushy, prehensile tail that is thick at the root, gradually tapering and curling inwards at the tip.
View the Source
2. Wikipedia: Binturong
diet-classification (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
Quote, diet-classification (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
The binturong is an omnivore, feeding on plants, insects, and smaller animals.
View the Source
3. Binturong (Wikidata)
WikidataStatements section, habitat (P2974): Terrestrial
Quote, Statements section, habitat (P2974): Terrestrial
Wikidata habitat statement (P2974) resolves to a terrestrial habitat type.
View the Source
Wikidata: Binturong
Wikidata Q213141, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeChild Taxon Of: ViverridaeView the Source
Binturong (Wikipedia)
In Biome: Tropical Rainforest, Wikipedia 'Binturong': arboreal viverrid native to South and Southeast Asia, threatened by forest degradationView the Source
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