Binturong
Arctictis binturong
We are home to one binturong, a male named Tenzin, who arrived in 2024. You can spot Tenzin in his habitat by the drills.
Population
Decreasing
Diet
Omnivore
Habitat
Rainforest
Fact file
Binturongs walk flat-footed, like bears and people. This results in an ambling side-to-side gait
Although the binturong is sometimes called a bearcat, it is not actually related either to bears or to cats, they are more closely related to civets and genets
They can rotate their hind legs so their claws still have a grip when climbing down a tree head-first and also use their gripping tail as a brake when running down trees
How we're helping
Like all the animals in our care, our binturong is an amazing ambassador for his relatives in the wild and help hundreds of thousands of people connect with nature every year. Ali encourages visitors to learn about the threats facing wildlife and the action they can take to help create a world where nature is protected, valued, and loved.
As a wildlife conservation charity, we care for the animals here at the zoo and work to protect species at risk around the world. From providing expertise in genetics and veterinary health, to protecting wild places with local conservation partners, and even restoring threatened species to the wild, we are active where we are needed most.
Find out more about?RZSS conservation
Find out more about RZSS conservation