Wildlife Guide · South-east Asia & India
Binturong
Arctictis binturong (Raffles, 1821)
The bearcat of the canopy — shaggy, prehensile-tailed and vanishing with the forest.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
In brief
The binturong (Arctictis binturong) is a Vulnerable tree-dwelling viverrid of South-east Asian rainforest, the only Old World mammal with a fully prehensile tail; it is threatened by deforestation and the illegal pet trade.
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By WARN Research & Conservation TeamLast updated
The binturong is a large viverrid — related to civets — of South-east Asian rainforest, named 'bearcat' for its stocky body, shaggy black fur and cat-like face. It is the only Old World mammal with a fully prehensile tail, which it uses to anchor itself in the canopy. Binturongs smell of buttered popcorn due to a glandular secretion. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, populations are declining from deforestation, the pet trade and hunting for bushmeat and traditional medicine. Binturongs are slow breeders — typically one or two young per litter — making recovery difficult once populations are depleted.
Vulnerable
IUCN Red List status (2016 assessment)
30%
Estimated population decline over three generations
9–20 kg
Typical adult weight
Appendix III
CITES listing (India)
Figures sourced from IUCN Red List — Arctictis binturong, CITES — Checklist of CITES Species, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance — binturong .
Binturong: Quick Facts
| Weight | 9–20 kg |
|---|---|
| Tail | Fully prehensile — unique among Old World mammals |
| Scent | Popcorn-like — from caudal gland secretion |
| Diet | Mainly frugivorous — figs and other fruit |
| Activity | Mainly nocturnal and arboreal |
| CITES | Appendix III (India) |
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Carnivora |
| Family | Viverridae |
| Genus | Arctictis |
| Species | Arctictis binturong (Raffles, 1821) |
Conservation Status
- IUCN Status
- Vulnerable (IUCN, 2016). Estimated 30% decline over three generations.
- Population
- No precise global count; declining across most of range
- Trend
- Decreasing
- Assessed
- 2016
- CITES
- Appendix III (India)
Key Facts: Binturong
- Binturongs smell of buttered popcorn — a scent from a glandular secretion.
- They are the only Old World mammal with a fully prehensile tail.
- Despite the nickname 'bearcat', binturongs are viverrids related to civets.
- Deforestation for palm oil, logging and agriculture is the primary threat.
- Binturongs are slow breeders — one to two young per litter.
- The pet trade removes individuals from the wild with high mortality in transit.
A tree-dwelling viverrid
The binturong belongs to the family Viverridae alongside civets, genets and linsangs. It is the largest living viverrid, with a stocky body, coarse black fur often tipped with grey, stiff white whiskers and small rounded ears. The muscular prehensile tail — as long as the body — grips branches and acts as a fifth limb.
Binturongs are mainly nocturnal and arboreal, though they descend to the ground more than many rainforest mammals. Six subspecies are recognised across South-east Asia, from India and Nepal through Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines to southern China.
Diet and ecological role
Binturongs are omnivorous frugivores, eating figs and other fruit as a staple and supplementing with small vertebrates, insects, eggs and carrion. They are important seed dispersers — fig seeds pass through the gut and germinate in new locations, linking binturong survival to the health of fig tree communities.
In captivity, binturongs live over 25 years; wild lifespans are shorter. They communicate through scent marking, vocalisations including chuckles and howls, and the distinctive popcorn-scented secretion from a gland beneath the tail.
Threats and the pet trade
Habitat loss is the primary driver of decline. South-east Asia has lost vast areas of lowland rainforest to oil palm, rubber, logging and dam construction. Binturongs cannot survive in plantations or heavily logged forest. Hunting for bushmeat and traditional medicine persists, and the illegal pet trade removes individuals — often young — from the wild. Binturongs are poor pets: they need large arboreal enclosures, specialist diets and nocturnal routines. Most confiscated animals cannot be released and require lifetime sanctuary care.
Conservation outlook
The IUCN lists the binturong as Vulnerable with an estimated 30% population decline over three generations. It occurs in numerous protected areas but enforcement against hunting and trapping is weak in many range countries. CITES Appendix III in India requires export permits. Protecting connected primary forest, enforcing anti-trafficking law and reducing demand for exotic pets are the most effective measures. WARN's orangutan and slow loris work in Indonesia and Malaysia overlaps binturong range, where shared habitat protection benefits all rainforest mammals.
What WARN Does
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How can I help save the binturong?
Explore practical ways to support the binturong, from everyday choices and sharing reliable information to reviewing a related appeal before giving.
Explore ways to support
Read the related appeal’s purpose, recipient status and fund terms. Choose an affordable gift after checking what is proposed and what has been reported.
Ease the pressures
Avoid the wildlife trade and souvenirs, never buy wild animals as pets, and choose sustainable, habitat-friendly products — the threats behind the binturong's decline fall when demand does.
Spread the word
Share accurate, sourced information about the binturong. Wider awareness is what turns concern into lasting protection.
Binturong: Frequently Asked Questions
How can I help save the binturong?
Why do binturongs smell like popcorn?
Is a binturong a bear or a cat?
Are binturongs endangered?
Where do binturongs live?
Can you keep a binturong as a pet?
What do binturongs eat?
Are binturongs dangerous?
How long do binturongs live?
How big is a binturong?
Sources & References
Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.
Related Rescue Guides
Focused answers for people searching how binturong rescue works in high-need regions.
Terms used on this page
Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.
Latest Binturong Stories
Quick, fact-checked reads on the binturong — amazing facts, key questions and the threats it faces.
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