They also bear a trait called reverse sexual size dimorphism, where females are larger than the males, weighing in at an average of 50 pounds, compared to their counterpart\u2019s average of 20 pounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s an uncommon, but not unheard of, quality, in nature \u2014 a trait that can also be found in baleen whales, spotted hyenas, and orb-weaver Spiders (the last of which can be 10 times the size of its male counterpart<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n Binturongs also have a prehensile tail \u2014 a tail that can grasp or hold onto objects. Other animals with prehensile tails include spider monkeys, chameleons, and seahorses.\u00a0<\/p>\n Remarkably, binturongs are one of just two carnivores in the world that boast a tail like this (the other being the kinkajou, or \u201choney bear<\/a>), and they use it as a \u201cfifth limb\u201d to balance in high tree branches.<\/p>\n Perhaps most bizarrely, binturongs emit a smell that is uncannily similar to buttery popcorn<\/a>, a phenomenon that scientists traced to the a chemical in their urine called 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, or 2-AP, the same chemical that forms in popcorn during the popping process.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the wild, they can be found in the tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia, in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. They play a vital role in their ecosystem, eating fish, rodents, birds, worms, and insects and \u201cgerminating\u201d more resilient plants<\/a> as they eat and pass seeds.\u00a0<\/p>\n But in the last 30 years, their population has been on the decline, due to their capture and trade for the exotic pet market.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTragically, binturongs\u2019 striking appearance and quirky charm have made them increasingly popular as exotic pets,\u201d the conservation nonprofit, Flora & Fauna, wrote on its website<\/a>. \u201cPoachers are all too prepared to meet this demand, setting traps to snatch them from the forests they call home.\u201d<\/p>\n For years, the David Attenborough-backed group<\/a> has been raising funds to protect binturongs from poaching and wildlife trafficking, by equipping rangers and patrol teams with the tools and resources they need to intervene.<\/p>\n \u201cRangers are the front line of defense,\u201d Flora & Fauna said in a statement. \u201cThey patrol the forest day in, day out, their constant presence warding off would-be poachers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTheir job is not an easy one, but the equipment that they need is surprisingly simple; new boots, when old ones wear thin. A raincoat, so they can patrol through any conditions. Rucksacks, to carry their rations to replenish their energy on long treks.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Flora & Fauna is one of the world\u2019s oldest conservation organizations \u2014 and their global efforts have had real-world impacts. In 1991, they helped establish the International Gorilla Conservation Program<\/a> in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to safeguard mountain gorillas from poaching.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the 1970s, only a few hundred remained in the wild. Today, mountain gorillas have rebounded to over 1,000, thanks to the IGCP.<\/p>\n Flora & Fauna said that its conservationists are applying the same tried-and-true approaches from programs like the IGCP to binturong protection efforts.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe have been at the forefront of conservation in Southeast Asia for decades,\u201d the nonprofit said on its website. \u201cWe know these forests. We know how to protect them. And with your support, we can stop the bearcat from vanishing forever.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n A monumental milestone for binturongs recently occurred in March, when the San Diego Zoo welcomed two binturong babies, or \u201cbinlets,\u201d for the first time in 26 years.<\/p>\n The twin males, Pulong and Tau, were born to parents Nettle and Garret.<\/p>\n As they get bigger, they\u2019re exploring trees throughout the habitat and engaging in classic binturong behavior<\/a>: snorting, purring, and chuckling when happy, and \u201cscreaming like a cat\u201d when bothered.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c[They] are currently spending quality family time behind the scenes while mom keeps busy with round-the-clock cuddle puddles, grooming, and care,\u201d the San Diego Zoo posted on Instagram<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a tree-mendous win for the future of this vulnerable species and supports conservation efforts both here and in their native habitats.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u200d<\/p>\n You may also like: This giant snail is the size of a croissant. Conservationists are banding together to save it from extinction<\/a><\/p>\n \u200d<\/p>\n Featured Image: Konrads Bilderwerkstatt\/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a68e6f6b36376765c9edab2_6a68e6f05d0bbde1cf7c4f27_binturong-animal-species-body-2.webp\")
Vassil\/Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0<\/a>)<\/p>\n![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a68e6f6b36376765c9edabc_6a68e6f05c272e529ee20c37_binturong-animal-species-body.webp\")
Konrads Bilderwerkstatt\/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0<\/a>)<\/p>\n![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a68e6f6b36376765c9edab9_6a68e6f22354f11a6bd7ad7f_binturong-animal-species-body-3.webp\")
San Diego Zoo<\/p>\n