Paignton Zoo reveals new arrival

She's a binturong, also known as a bearcat

Author: Simon McleanPublished 15th Dec 2022

Paignton Zoo has revealed it's latest arrival - a small furry animal that smells of buttered popcorn.

Fig is a binturong, sometimes known as a bearcat, and she's moved to the zoo as part of a breeding programme.

Fig moved to Paignton Zoo from Cotswold Wildlife Park on Wednesday, and she's now settling into her new home near the Ape Centre, in the enclosure that used to house the zoo’s coati.

She was one of two cubs born at Cotswold Wildlife Park in 2021, and has moved to Paignton Zoo as part of a breeding programme.

Lisa Britton, Curator of Mammals said: “It’s a fantastic space for her, with plenty of opportunities to display natural behaviours up in the trees. We’ll hopefully be bringing in a mate very soon, and we’re looking forward to telling visitors all about these amazing creatures.”

Binturong, also known as bearcats, are neither bears nor cats; they are part of the viverridae family, which includes civets and fossas.

They have dark shaggy coats, white whiskers and long tails that they use to grip branches. They spend lots of their time up in the trees, and can even turn their ankles 180 degrees to help them climb.

And the smell of popcorn? That's because they release an oil from a gland under their tail containing the chemical that gives popcorn its aroma.

Binturong are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

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