The binturong (Arctictis binturong) also called bearcat is a catlike carnivore of the civet class (Viverridae). It is aboriginal to South and Southeast Asia. The binturong is seen in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
This animal is unique in much of its range and has been evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because of a deteriorating population movement that is calculated at more than 30% over the last three decades.
Binturongs are largely arboreal and live in the canopies of tall, dense, tropical forests.
They spend most of their time climbing trees and they even snooze in the branches. Binturongs are found from sea level up to 1,190 meters (3,900 feet) above sea level.
The lifespan of a binturong varies from 18 years in the wild and up to 25 in imprisonment.
The binturong is the biggest species in the civet family.
Their body size is 61 to 96 cm (24 to 38 in) with an almost equal tail size of 56 to 89 cm (22 to 35 in). Their weight varies from 9 to 20 kilograms (20 to 44 pounds). Females are 20% bigger than males.
Long, coarse, black fur wraps their bodies and sometimes possesses gray tips.
Their faces carry slightly lighter fur and white whiskers.
Long ear tufts protrude from small rounded ears. Their eyes are tiny and reddish-brown.