Amalie M. Keefe
Of all the animals in the world, the Bearcat (mainly known as the Binturong) is one of the less known. With only 14 bearcats in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, only 11 in zoo facilities globally, and their numbers declining more than 30% in the last 30 years, Binturongs have been classified as vulnerable, and close to becoming endangered.
With long shaggy black fur tipped with grey, a body of a bear and the feline-shaped head and tail of a cat and a sort of crescent moon shaped white-grey ears, the bearcat has a rather odd appearance and with it's large brown eyes and stiff white whiskers, you can either think it extremely cute or extremely ugly. Another fact to mention is that the binturong smells of popcorn. For many years it puzzled scientists why the binturong smells just like hot buttered popcorn, and they may finally have found the answer. Binturongs, like most other mammals in the animal world spray scent to communicate, whether it's that they’re looking for a mate, keeping others off of their territory or scaring away predators, this ‘chemical’ of sorts is spread on trees and branches from an oily line of skin underneath the binturongs’ tail have some of the same chemicals used in making popcorn.
There are other ways that binturongs communicate too. When they are happy the bearcat can chuckle, snort or chuff, which generally are very throaty noises. When angered, in fear or upset they shriek, hiss and sometimes have been known to wail or scream. These noises can be very similar sounding to humans, which is unusual for this certain type of mammal.
Bearcats, although their name may suggest, are neither bear nor cat, they are in fact part of the Viverridae family, which includes around thirty-five different species of old-world mammals. Viverrids are classed as one of the most poorly known mammal families in the world and consist of Civet cats, Genets, Linslang and Fossa. Viverrids primarily live throughout Africa, South and Southeast Asia and Southern Europe, with the Bearcat being situated in Asia. Their diet consists mainly of small rodents, insects, fruits, vegetables, small birds, fish and plant shoots.
The conservation of bearcats is difficult as they are under threat by poaching for traditional Asian medicines, habitat destruction, the fur trade and the illegal pet trade. In some parts of the world, the bearcats are exported for their meat and considered a delicacy. This means that the bearcat is vulnerable because of human activity, but many conservation groups are gradually helping the binturong population grow and hope that their efforts will stop the decline in the bearcat population as it is very important to save this amazing and interesting species.
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