Have you ever heard of the Palawan binturong? It’s a big, furry animal that loves living in trees. It’s also known as the Palawan bearcat, but it’s not really a bear or a cat. It’s its own unique animal!
They are more closely related to civets, and can be found in Southeast Asia. In the Philippines they can only be found in Palawan (though one was found in Sulu) (G Veron 2019). They spend most of their lives in the trees (aka they are arboreal), and eat small insects and fruits.
In a study by Myka Allam et al in 2022, Binturong in a certain area in Palawan seemed to love figs. Since Binturongs are also known to speed up germination of fig seeds after pooping them, Palawan Binturong might also be important to fig or ficus seed dispersal!
Follow the groups below to learn more about them!
- Palawan Council for Sustainable Development
- Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center – Crocodile Farm
- ABConservation – Arctictis binturong Conservation
Download a printable of the Binutrong below!
More MAMMALS!
- Binturong or Palawan Bearcat (Arctictis binturong whitei)
- Brown-tailed dwarf cloud rat (Carpomys phaeurus)
- Black-tailed dwarf cloud rat (Carpomys melanurus)
- Dugong (Dugong)
- Golden-crowned Flying Fox (Acerodon jubatus)
- Large-toothed Batomys (Batomys dentatus)
- Mt. Amuyao Tree-mouse (Musseromys inopinatus)
- Mt. Banahaw Tree-mouse (Musseromys gulantang)
- Mt. Isarog Hairy-tailed Rat (Batomys uragon)
- Mt. Pulag Tree-mouse (Musseromys beneficus)
- Palawan Pangolin (Manis culionensis)
- Sierra Madre Tree-mouse (Musseromys anacuao)
- Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis)
- Ylin Island Cloud Rat (Crateromys paulus)