The Binturong, also known as the Asian Bearcat, the Palawan
Bearcat, or simply the Bearcat, is a species of the family
Viverridae, which includes the civets and genets. It is the
only member of its genus. The binturong is not a bear, and
the real meaning of the original name has been lost, as the
local language that gave it that name is now extinct. Its
natural habitat is in trees of forest canopy in rainforest
of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia,
Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
and Vietnam.
It is nocturnal and sleeps on branches. It eats primarily
fruit, but also has been known to eat eggs, shoots, leaves,
and small animals, such as rodents or birds. Deforestation
has greatly reduced its numbers.
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