Wildlifeof Borneo
Binturong
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Arctictis binturong
Basic stats
Diet
Fruit (especially figs), small vertebrates, invertebrates
Habitat
Primary and secondary lowland forest, up to about 1,500m on Borneo
Range
South and Southeast Asia including Borneo
Litter size
1–6 young (averaging 2)
Gestation period
84–99 days
Size
Largest civet in Southeast Asia (head-body 71–96cm, tail 56–89cm)
Weight
9–20kg
About the Binturong
A large, shaggy-coated civet relative — the biggest civet in Southeast Asia — with a fully prehensile tail used almost like a fifth limb while climbing; among carnivorans, only the kinkajou of the Americas shares this trait. Often described as smelling of warm popcorn, from scent-marking secretions.
Primarily nocturnal, also active at dusk and dawn, and strongly arboreal, climbing slowly and deliberately through the canopy in search of fruit (especially figs, which make up a large part of its diet), small vertebrates and invertebrates. Hunting and habitat loss are the main threats.
Binturongs are among the target species at Deramakot Forest Reserve (deramakot.com), and one was photographed in the canopy there on a July 2022 trip. Other places that list it as a target species include Maliau Basin and Imbak Canyon.
