binturong

Everyday

1. A furry, dark animal from the rainforests of South-East Asia, also called a bearcat, though it is neither a bear nor a cat. tree →
2. It lives mostly in trees, can hold on with its long tail, eats fruit and small animals, and is famous for smelling like buttered popcorn. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons it is an example of a prehensile (gripping) tail and of rainforest animals threatened by forest loss. In zoos people notice its popcorn smell, which comes from a chemical in its scent. Phrases: «bearcat».

Examples

• The binturong curled its tail around a branch. tree →
• A binturong smells like buttered popcorn! tree →
• Binturongs are also called bearcats. tree →
• The binturong at the zoo was asleep high in a tree. tree →
• Binturongs help spread seeds of strangler figs. tree →
• Cutting down rainforests puts binturongs in danger. tree →

Note

Say «bin-TOO-rong». It is related to civets, not to bears or cats. Plural: binturongs. Its tail can grip, like a monkey's.