Home Facts IS BINTURONG CIVET CAT GOOD FOR A PET?

IS BINTURONG CIVET CAT GOOD FOR A PET?

By
Enoch Obeng
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Binturong is a civet cat. Will the knowledge of civet cats being beautiful pets imply that binturong will be good pets too? This article seeks to answer this age-long question among civet cat lovers. Follow me as we discuss and answer the many questions surrounding Binturong.

WHAT IS A BINTURONG?

The binturong also called a bearcat is a civet cat with a long body, a prehensile tail, and covered in thick coarse black fur. The binturong is arboreal oftentimes seen in tall forests in the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

WHICH COUNTRIES WILL YOU FIND BINTURONG?

Binturongs are found in South Asian countries as well some southeast Asian countries like India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, China, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia.

HOW MANY BINTURONG CIVET CATS ARE LEFT IN THE WORLD?

The number of binturongs in the world is decreasing and that has put Binturong on the vulnerable list of animals on the IUCN red list of threatened species. However different countries have varying numbers therefore Binturongs are protected by law in some countries while other countries don’t have laws protecting Binturong. Also, there are binturongs kept as pets and captive animals in the zoo and this will add to the global number of binturongs.

 6 REASONS WHY THE BINTURONG POPULATION IS DECREASING?

  1.  Binturong meat is a delicacy in China and Vietnam as well as other countries and therefore serve as a protein source for human consumption
  2. wildlife Hunters hunt them for their meat
  3. in some countries like the Philippines, Binturongs are kept as a pet most likely because the populations there are higher than the other countries
  4. deforestation is destroying the rich habitat for binturong which prefers tall forest
  5. Urbanization is putting pressure on the rich habitat of binturong
  6. Agricultural activities are also encroaching on the habitat for binturong

ARE BINTURONGS CATS?

Binturongs are not really cats but are civet cats, they look like a cross between a raccoon and a bear but they are neither bears nor raccoons.

WHY DO BINTURONGS SMELL?

civet cats have glands that secret chemicals that help them to mark their territory. Binturongs also secrete these chemicals to help them mark their territory which helps them keep their territories away from other binturongs.

HOW DO BINTURONGS SMELL LIKE?

Binturongs smell like popcorn and that is because the chemical which makes popcorn smell the way it does is the same chemical secreted by binturongs for their territorial markings.

DO BINTURONGS HAVE A PREHENSILE TAIL?

Yes, binturongs have a tail with thick muscle around the base of the base which enables the binturong to hold onto branches with the tail. This is an adaptation that has enabled binturongs to survive on top of tall trees.

DO BINTURONGS SMELL LIKE POPCORN?

Yes, binturongs smell like popcorn. The anal gland of the binturong secret chemicals found in popcorns hence making them smell the same.

DO ALL CIVET CATS SMELL LIKE POPCORN?

Although a civet cat, different civet cats smell differently. All civet cats are associated with smell and that is why they are popular in the perfume industry. However, one would think of different civets to have different flavors of smell.

WHAT IS THE CLOSEST RELATIVE TO BINTURONG?

Civet cats are the closest relatives of binturong. Examples of civet cats include the African civet cat and the palm civet cats.

HOW MANY BINTURONGS ARE LEFT IN THE WILD?

The number of binturong in the wild is believed to have decreased but because of the limited studies, it is difficult to predict with numbers.

CAN YOU KEEP BINTURONG AS A PET?

Binturongs are not scared of people and for that matter are good candidates for pets. This fact of their decreasing populations and the relatively difficult process of designing a habitat or shelter that is humane and best suited for them is the major challenge to keeping Binturong as pets.

BINTURONG AS PETS IN THE PHILIPINES?

In the Philippines, we have people keeping binturong as pets. This may be because they have more binturongs in the Philippines.

CAN I KEEP BINTURONG AS A PET?

This would largely depend on the country you live in, there is an international trade ban on binturong however, local trade occurs. Check with your local wildlife veterinarian to find out if you can keep binturong as a pet in your state or country.

WHAT IS WORLD BINTURONG DAY?

World binturong day is a day set aside to celebrate, learn about, and interact with the beautiful Binturong especially with binturong in captivity and in parks.

World binturong day 2022 falls on 14th May 2022. This is going to be an opportunity for you to learn more about binturongs, stay connected for more updates on binturongs.

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