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What the sources say

BinturongArctictis binturong

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Binturong profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 72 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Arctictis binturong (binturong). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysclimbing through tropical forest canopies
The source saysBinturongs are primarily arboreal and live in the canopies of tall, dense, tropical forests.
The page saysTall tropical forest canopies across South and Southeast Asia
The source saysBinturongs are primarily arboreal and live in the canopies of tall, dense, tropical forests.
The page saysincluding wild figs
The source saysThey eat fruits such as those of the strangler fig tree
The page sayscarrion and eggs
The source saysAs opportunistic feeders, binturongs will also eat carrion, eggs, tree shoots, and leaves.
The page saysa prehensile tail that works as a fifth limb
The source saysTheir prehensile tail acts as another limb as they climb slowly and carefully.
The page saysTigers and dholes are known predators
The source saysTwo species of known predators are tigers and dholes.
The page saysfor a climber that moves slowly and carefully
The source saysTheir prehensile tail acts as another limb as they climb slowly and carefully.Note: vibe.reason: the pairing now rests on the binturong's climbing gait, not on its popcorn smell

Source
02

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Binturong. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The page saysthick prehensile tail
The source saysA binturong's tail is very thick and muscular at the base, and the last third is prehensile
The page saysMainly fruit
The source saysmainly fruits, but also vegetables, birds, small mammals, and fish
The page sayssmall mammals, birds, fish
The source saysbirds, small mammals, and fish
The page saysBinturongs grow 60 to 90 centimeters long
The source saysBody length: 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 centimeters)
The page saysand weigh 13 to 22 kilograms
The source saysWeight: 30 to 50 pounds (13 to 22 kilograms)Note: current zoo page over ADW's older 9 to 20 kg (Cosson 2007). Smithsonian gives 24 to 79 pounds (11 to 36 kg) on a page that also misconverts 3 feet as 0.09 m, so SDZ's range, inside the Smithsonian's, is used
The page saysThe tail is thick and muscular at the base and prehensile along its last third
The source saysA binturong's tail is very thick and muscular at the base, and the last third is prehensile
The page saysa leathery patch at the tip helps it grip branches
The source saysA leathery patch at the tip helps the tail grip the branches a binturong climbs through.
The page saysBinturongs can also turn their ankles 180 degrees, so their claws can still grip when they climb down a trunk headfirst.
The source saysbinturongs can turn their ankles 180 degrees so their claws can still grip when climbing down a tree headfirst.
The page saysThe binturong is one of only two carnivores in the world with a prehensile tail; the other is the kinkajou.
The source saysone of only two carnivores found anywhere in the world with a prehensile tail (the other is a kinkajou)
The page saysThe binturong is one of only two carnivores anywhere in the world with a prehensile tail; the other is the kinkajou.
The source saysone of only two carnivores found anywhere in the world with a prehensile tail (the other is a kinkajou)
The page saysYoungsters have been seen hanging upside down, supported by the tail alone, but adults are a bit too heavy to do it without a paw or two for extra grip.
The source saysBinturong youngsters have been seen hanging upside down while completely supported by their tail, but adults are a bit too heavy to do this without using a paw or two for extra grip.
The page saysNot nearly as acrobatic as monkeys, binturongs usually have to climb down to get from one tree to the next.
The source saysthey usually have to climb down to get from tree to tree, since they are not nearly as acrobatic as monkeys
The page saysbut as tree-dwellers binturongs are rarely threatened by other predators
The source saysAs arboreal predators, binturongs are rarely threatened by other predators.
The page saysit is poached for traditional Asian medicine
The source saysthey are currently threatened by habitat destruction, poaching for traditional Asian medicines, and the fur and pet trade.
The page saysThe last third of the tail can grasp, and a leathery patch at the tip helps it grip branches.
The source saysthe last third is prehensile, meaning it can grasp like an extra hand. A leathery patch at the tip helps the tail grip the branches a binturong climbs through.
The page saysYoungsters have been seen hanging upside down supported by the tail alone, but adults are a bit too heavy to do it without a paw or two for extra grip.
The source saysBinturong youngsters have been seen hanging upside down while completely supported by their tail, but adults are a bit too heavy to do this without using a paw or two for extra grip.
The page saysthe grasping last third of its tail as a fifth limb
The source saysthe last third is prehensile, meaning it can grasp like an extra hand.Note: vibe.reason; 'fifth limb' is ADW's 'acts as another limb', claimed for the superpower line
The page saysturning its ankles 180 degrees to climb down trunks headfirst
The source saysbinturongs can turn their ankles 180 degrees so their claws can still grip when climbing down a tree headfirst.Note: vibe.reason

Source
03

Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Binturong. Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

The page saysplus a tail nearly as long
The source sayslong with a tail nearly the length of its body
The page saysIn the wild they live about 16 to 18 years, and up to 25 in human care.
The source saysIn the wild, binturongs live about 16 to 18 years. In human care, they can live to be 25 years old.
The page saysDespite the nickname "bearcat," a binturong is not closely related to bears or cats.
The source saysBinturongs are also called bearcats but are not closely related to bears or cats.
The page saysIt belongs to the civet family, Viverridae.
The source saysThey are in the family Viverridae with other small cat-like mammals, including civets and fossas.Note: fossas dropped from the page: the fossa is in Eupleridae, so the Smithsonian's side remark about it is not used
The page saysIt lives in tropical forests from India and Nepal to Indonesia and the Philippines.
The source saystropical forests of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Philippines, and Indonesia
The page saysDeforestation removes both its habitat and its main foods
The source saysDeforestation is especially problematic as it removes both their habitat and their main food sources.
The page saysin some areas it is hunted for meat and for the pet trade
The source saysIn some areas, binturongs are also hunted for meat and for the pet trade.
The page saysNeither. Despite the nickname bearcat, a binturong is not closely related to bears or cats.
The source saysBinturongs are also called bearcats but are not closely related to bears or cats.

Source
04

Lambert et al. 2014

Lambert et al. (2014). Binturong (Arctictis binturong) and Kinkajou (Potos flavus) Digestive Strategy: Implications for Interpreting Frugivory in Carnivora and Primates. PLoS ONE.

The page saysIn captive binturongs, food passes through the gut in about 6.5 hours
The source saysWe conducted feeding trials to determine mean digestive retention times (MRT) on captive animals ... A. binturong MRT = 6.5 hrs (0.3)
The page saysfast for a mammal that eats mostly plants
The source saysboth carnivoran species have rapid digestive passage for mammals that consume a predominantly plant-based diet

Source
05

Nakabayashi et al. 2019

Nakabayashi et al. (2019). Limited directed seed dispersal in the canopy as one of the determinants of the low hemi-epiphytic figs' recruitments in Bornean rainforests. PLOS ONE.

The page saysIn Borneo, figs make up nearly 90 percent of a binturong's diet.
The source saysBinturongs are the largest arboreal frugivorous carnivorans on Borneo. ... fig fruits constitute nearly 90% of their dietNote: the paper's ref [29] is the authors' own Bornean binturong study: it is also cited for 'the Ficus species that binturongs feed on in Bornean rainforests' and for radio-tracking 'in the study areas'
The page saysBinturongs digest fruit inefficiently, and their watery droppings stick easily to tree bark.
The source saysBinturongs have difficulty in digesting fruits efficiently because of their morpho-physiological constraints ... their feces are watery, making it easier to stick to tree bark.
The page saysA 2019 study in Sabah, Borneo
The source saysWe conducted this study at Danum Valley Conservation Area (Danum) and Maliau Basin Conservation Area (Maliau) in Sabah, north-eastern BorneoNote: 2019 is the paper's publication year (reference metadata); fieldwork ran 2013 to 2018
The page saysfound them defecating mainly on tree forks and branches, rarely on the forest floor
The source saysBinturongs disproportionally defecated in the canopy: tree forks (47.2%), branches (30.6%), epiphytic mats (19.4%), and forest floor (2.8%).
The page saysSeeds of two of the three fig species tested
The source saysWe planted fig seeds of three species collected from binturong fecesNote: the three species were F. forstenii, F. stupenda and F. punctata; only F. stupenda showed no significant difference
The page saysgerminated at higher rates after passing through a binturong
The source saysThe germination rates of all species except F. stupenda were significantly higher after being defecated by binturongs
The page saysthan seeds taken straight from the fruit
The source saysWe extracted 100 seeds from the feces or figs
The page saysAgainst Mueller's gibbons and helmeted hornbills, binturongs scored by far the highest seed dispersal effectiveness for hemi-epiphytic figs
The source saysWe evaluated the SDE of hemi-epiphytic figs using qualitative and quantitative components by three relatively large-sized (> 3 kg) arboreal and volant animals in Bornean rainforests that largely depend on fig fruits in their diets: binturongs Arctictis binturong, Mueller's gibbons Hylobates muelleri, and helmeted hornbills Rhinoplax vigil. The SDE values of binturongs was by far the highest among the three study animals.
The page sayswhich sprout high on host trees
The source saysHemi-epiphytic figs germinate in the canopies of host trees as epiphytes
The page saysFigs make up nearly 90 percent of a binturong's diet in Borneo
The source saysBinturongs are the largest arboreal frugivorous carnivorans on Borneo. ... fig fruits constitute nearly 90% of their diet
The page saysits watery droppings stick easily to tree bark
The source saystheir feces are watery, making it easier to stick to tree bark
The page saysseeds of two of the three fig species tested
The source saysWe planted fig seeds of three species collected from binturong fecesNote: the three species were F. forstenii, F. stupenda and F. punctata; only F. stupenda showed no significant difference
The page saysgerminated at higher rates after passing through a binturong
The source saysThe germination rates of all species except F. stupenda were significantly higher after being defecated by binturongs
The page saysthan seeds taken straight from the fruit
The source saysWe extracted 100 seeds from the feces or figs
The page saysOf the three fig-eaters it compared, binturongs scored by far the highest seed dispersal effectiveness for hemi-epiphytic figs, which sprout in the canopies of host trees.
The source saysthree relatively large-sized (> 3 kg) arboreal and volant animals in Bornean rainforests that largely depend on fig fruits in their diets ... The SDE values of binturongs was by far the highest among the three study animals. ... Hemi-epiphytic figs germinate in the canopies of host trees as epiphytes

Source
06

Greene et al. 2016

Greene et al. (2016). Reproductive endocrine patterns and volatile urinary compounds of Arctictis binturong: discovering why bearcats smell like popcorn. The Science of Nature.

The page saysthe compound likely responsible for its popcorn smell
The source saysis likely to be responsible for the binturong's characteristic popcorn aroma
The page saysurine from 33 captive binturongs
The source saysUsing a large (n = 33), captive population, we collected serum samples to measure circulating sex steroids via enzyme immunoassay and urine samples
The page saysyet 2-AP was the only compound found in every binturong tested
The source says2-AP, the only compound expressed by all of the subjects

Source
07

Duke Today, Duke University

Why Bearcats Smell Like Buttered Popcorn. Duke Today, Duke University.

The page sayssmells like hot buttered movie popcorn
The source saysit smells like a movie theater snack bar. Most describe it as hot buttered popcorn.
The page saysUrine containing 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline
The source saysthe researchers identified 29 chemical compounds in the animals' urine. The one compound that emanated from every sample was 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline
The page saysMany people who meet a Binturong (Arctictis binturong) notice its smell, and most describe it as hot buttered popcorn.
The source saysmany people who have met one notice the same thing: it smells like a movie theater snack bar. Most describe it as hot buttered popcorn.
The page saysEarlier studies found nothing in its tail-gland secretions to explain the smell.
The source saysPrevious studies searched for compounds in secretions from the scent glands under the binturong's tail that could explain its signature scent, but nothing turned up.
The page saysIn 2016
The source saysThe Science of Nature – Naturwissenschaften, April 7, 2016
The page saysa Duke University team analyzed urine
The source saysChristine Drea, a professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke who led the study
The page saysfound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, or 2-AP, the compound that gives popcorn its scent, in every sample
The source saysThe one compound that emanated from every sample was 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, or 2-AP -- the same compound that gives popcorn its tantalizing scent.
The page sayswith more in males than females
The source saysMales secrete more 2-AP than females.
The page saysThe team found no 2-AP in the binturongs' kibble, the one cooked item they ate.
The source saysThe team searched for 2-AP in the binturongs' kibble, the one cooked item in their diet, but they didn't detect any.
The page saysThe researchers think it more likely that microbes on the skin or fur or in the gut make 2-AP from urine
The source saysA more likely explanation, the researchers say, is that 2-AP is produced when binturong urine comes in contact with bacteria and other microorganisms that live on the animal's skin or fur or in its gut.
The page saysas bacteria make smelly compounds from armpit sweat
The source saysBacteria make smelly compounds as they break down sweat in our armpits in much the same way, Drea said.
The page saysBinturongs pee in a squat, soaking their feet and tails, and drag their tails through the trees, leaving a scent trail on the branches behind them.
The source saysBinturongs pee in a squatting position, soaking their feet and bushy tails in the process. They also drag their tails as they move about in the trees, leaving a scent trail on the branches and leaves behind them.
The page saysPopcorn gets its 2-AP from the heat of popping
The source saysThe compound 2-AP normally forms in popcorn during the popping process, when heat kicks off reactions between sugars and amino acids in the corn kernels.
The page saysat temperatures above what most animals' bodies can reach
The source saysIf you were to make this compound, you would have to use temperatures above what most animals can achieve physiologically
The page saysIts urine contains 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP), the same compound that gives popcorn its aroma, and it turned up in every binturong tested.
The source saysThe one compound that emanated from every sample was 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, or 2-AP -- the same compound that gives popcorn its tantalizing scent.
The page saysEarlier studies searched the scent glands under its tail for a compound that could explain the smell and found nothing.
The source saysPrevious studies searched for compounds in secretions from the scent glands under the binturong's tail that could explain its signature scent, but nothing turned up.
The page saysThe researchers think it more likely that bacteria and other microbes on its skin or fur or in its gut make 2-AP from its urine.
The source saysA more likely explanation, the researchers say, is that 2-AP is produced when binturong urine comes in contact with bacteria and other microorganisms that live on the animal's skin or fur or in its gut.

Source
08

Willcox et al. 2016

Willcox et al. (2016). Arctictis binturong. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T41690A45217088.

The page saysVulnerable
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Vulnerable (VU).Note: matches stats.conservationStatus in the frontmatter
The page saysThe IUCN lists the species as Vulnerable.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Vulnerable (VU).

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.