Binturong [1] ( lat. Arctictis binturong ) is a mammal of the family of viverraidae predatory order, the only species of the monotypic genus Binturonga ( lat. Arctictis ). Due to external similarities, it was previously ranked as a raccoon family, however, in fact, it is a kind of civerore in kind. Often, tourists call them "cat bears" because of the external similarity of the structure of the body with cats and the manner of movement on the ground like a bear.
| Binturong |
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| Scientific classification |
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| No rank : | Bilateral symmetrical |
| Gender: | Binturongs ( Arctictis Temminck , 1824 ) |
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| International scientific name |
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Arctictis binturong Raffles , 1821 |
| Area |
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| Security status |
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Vulnerable speciesIUCN 3.1 Vulnerable : 41690 |
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Binturong is a somewhat awkward and short-legged animal. Its coat is stiff and long, especially on the tail . As a rule, it is painted in dark gray or black, and the head is often lighter in color. Most notable are the long white whiskers and long tassels of the ears. The only placental animal of the Old World , capable of grabbing objects with its tail. Binturongs reach a length of 61 to 96 cm, and their tail numbers about the same. Weight ranges from 9 to 14 kg, in some cases reaches up to 20 kg.
Binturong is widespread in Southeast Asia ; its range extends from India to the Indonesian islands of Sumatra , Java , Kalimantan and the Philippine island of Palawan . It lives in dense tropical forests [2] .
Binturongs are active at night and live mainly on trees . Their movements are slow and careful, they do not jump, but they can climb well with the help of the grasping tail. They are also good swimmers and divers. Being on the ground, binturong, like a bear , steps with its entire paw, which is very unusual compared to the rest of the wyverms. Binturongs live singly or in small groups of couples with offspring. Within such groups, the dominant role belongs to the female.
Binturong at Khao Kheow Zoo, Thailand
The main food of binturongs is fruit . The share of plant foods in them is much higher than in other civets. In addition, binturongs feed on insects and small birds , do not disdain carrion , and also rob bird nests. Fish also make up part of their food. They go into apartment buildings in search of lives, and as a rule, people are not attacked.
The female gives birth to offspring up to two times a year; her pregnancy is about 90 days. At one time, from one to six (on average two or three) cubs are born. After giving birth, the female allows the male to remain with her, which is unusual among the civets. After six to eight weeks, the cubs wean from milk , and reach puberty at the age of two and a half years. The longest known life span of binturong was 25 years under human care.
There are 6 subspecies of binturong ( Arctictis binturong ) [3] :
- A. binturong binturong
- A. binturong albifrons
- A. binturong kerkhoveni
- A. binturong menglaensis
- A. binturong penicillatus
- A. binturong whitei
In some places, binturongs are kept as pets, being easily tamed and gullible animals. But in most regions, they have not gained distribution as a pet due to their smell. Their meat is in some places considered a delicacy, and some parts of the body are used in traditional medicine . Due to its wide enough range, binturongs do not belong to animals that are threatened with extinction. Binturong is listed in CITES Appendix III in India [3] .
