The Binturong Arctictis binturong belongs to the family of civets (Family Viveriidae). Being secretive and rare, the binturong is a little known creature. This arboreal (living on trees) creature occurs in northeastern states in India, while its range extends over a large part of Southeast Asia. This arboreal animal, unlike other members of the family, has a prehensile tail, which it uses like another limb. The tail is used very effectively when climbing and when moving about in the trees. Being omnivorous, they feed on fruits, insects, carrion and small animals like birds and rodents during their forays in the dense jungle they live in. The binturong has a keen sense of smell. Like other civets, binturongs use scent marking to communicate with other individuals. They also have good vision and hearing. These nocturnal (active during the night) animals spend the day sleeping in the trees.
Binturongs grow to about five feet long including the tail. Their colour varies from dark grey and black with grizzled fur on their face. They have a thick coat comprising of long hair, which, perhaps, has earned them the name ‘Bear Cat’.