Arctictis binturong
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Viverridae
Arctictis
Arctictis binturong

description: 26.
Binturong
Arctictis binturong
French: Binturong / German: Binturong / Spanish: Binturong
Taxonomy. Viverra binturong Raffles, 1822 [presented orally in 1820,
often incorrectly ascribed as 1821], Malacca, Malaysia.
The number of subspecies is debated and up to nine have been recognized; the subspecies on Palawan Island, the Philippines (whiter) has been considered a distinct species by some authors. There is no recent taxonomic revision, but a molecular study has suggested a separation of the Sundaic and northern populations.
Distribution. E Nepal, NE India (Sikkim, Assam & Arunachal Pradesh), Bhutan, Bangladesh, S China (Yunnan, Guangxi), Mainland SE Asia, Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Nias, Bangka, Bintan & Kundur Is), and the Philippines (Calauit & Palawan Is).
Descriptive notes. Head-body 61-96. 5 cm, tail 50-84 cm, hindfoot 11.8-18 cm, ear 4.9-5. 2 cm; weight 9-20 kg. The largest civet species, with a long shaggy coat. The general color is black; the tip of the guard hairs can be white, giving a grizzled appearance in some individuals. The head is black, grayish, or almost white; the grayish color of the head can also extend behind the shoulder. The ears are black and rounded, with a white rim and long tufts of hairs on the dorsal surface and at the tip. The mystacial vibrissae are white. The rhinarium has a median groove within a shallow depression; this groove extends onto the dorsal surface. Thetail is long and prehensile. The feet have five digits and very large metacarpal and metatarsal pads covered with coarse skin. The forefeet have large metacarpal pads, which are neither well defined nor well separated from the plantar pads. On the hindfeet, the divisions between the plantar pads, metatarsal pads, and the medial depression also are not well defined. The naked area on the foot extends to the back of the heel, which is covered by horny pointed papillae. On the hindfoot, the third and fourth digit pads are fused at their base. The claws are strong, sharp and retractile, but are unguarded by lobes of skin. There are two pairs of teats. The perineal gland is simple and consists of a pair of haired labia. The skull is large and not constricted in the post-orbital area. Dental formula: I 3/3, C1/1,P 4/4, M 2/2 = 40. The teeth are quite small, with the shearing blades of the carnassials reduced, and the incisors well separated.
Habitat. Primary and secondary forest, including grassland/forest mosaic. Found up to 1500 m on Borneo, and from 700 to 2500 m on Sumatra. In north-east India,it is restricted to dense tropical and subtropical forests up to 2000 m.
Food and Feeding. Said to feed on small vertebrates, invertebrates, and fruits, but 1s believed to be predominantly frugivorous. Figs were found to be the main food item in one specimen stomach collected from Borneo and in a scat collected from a trapped animal in Thailand; Binturongs have been observed in fig trees frequently. One individual was photographed eating fallen jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) in Sumatra.
Activity patterns. In Thailand, radio-collared Binturongs were found to be arrhythmic; they were active 47% of the time and had activity peaks between 04:00-06:00 h and 20:00-22:00 h. Also in Thailand, two Binturongs were observed feeding at night (00:30 h and 03:30 h), but several diurnalfield observations were also reported: feeding animals were seen between dawn and early afternoon, with a peak active period from 06:30-08:00 h. In Sabah, Binturongs were seen almost as often by day as by night. On Sumatra, sightings were frequently reported during the day, but they were also cameratrapped at night. A captive female and two males showed an arrhythmic activity pattern: moving, feeding, and agonistic behavior were highest from 09:00-12:00 h, resting was highest from 00:00-03:00 h, and reproductive activities were more frequent from 03:00-06:00 h. Another captive male from Vietnam was found to be strictly nocturnal. Rest sites are in the upper branches oftall trees; when resting,it lies curled up, with the head tucked underthe tail.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Solitary, but sometimes females are seen with young. Arboreal, but will descend to the ground. Binturongs can climb trees with ease, but progress slowly and deliberately, using their long prehensile tails for balance and to hold branches for support. On the ground, they are plantigrade and walk along on the soles oftheir feet. In Thailand, five radio-collared males had a mean annual range size of 6-2 km? (range 4-7 to 7-7 km?); wet season ranges were larger. The home range overlaps were substantial (mean= 35%) indicating a lack of territories. The mean one-day movement distance was 688 m. In another study in Thailand, the home range of a female was 4-0 km? and 20-5 km? for a male (with a core area of 3-5 km?). Captive Binturongs utter high-pitched whines and howls, rasping growls, and a variety of grunts and hisses when excited.
Breeding. Breeding seems to occur throughout the year, at least in captivity. Captive females are non-seasonally polyoestrous and may give birth to twolitters annually; however, there is a pronounced birth peak from January to March. Littersize is one to six, most commonly two. Gestation is 84 to 99 days. Observations in captivity have shown that copulations usually take place in trees. Captive males and females had their first copulations between 13 and 48 months old. Both sexes remain fertile until 15 years old; the maximum lifetime productivity is estimated to be 23 young. The mean estrous cycle is 83 days. Copulations are observed during a period of up to 15 days, suggesting a long estrous period. During estrus, females increase their activity and calling; this call consists of a single blowing sound (made by expelling air through the nose) that is also emitted by males in adjacent cages. During encounters, the male follows the restless female, frequently sniffing both her and the cage. After mutual sniffing, the male investigates the female's perineal region and often exposes this area by pulling her tail aside with his forepaws; males often flehmen after licking the perineal region of the female. The female indicates her receptivity by emitting a coarse purring sound and incites the male to follow her by trotting briskly. She will then lie down and the male mounts by either standing on the female’s back, clasping her around the midbody with his forepaws, or by standing and straddling the female with his forelegs. Thrusting occurs in bouts and frequently alternates with periods of back licking; the female emits a continuous loud coarse purring noise during copulations. The female terminates copulations by quickly departing. The male remains at the copulation site and licks his penis; the female licks her perineal gland and vulva. After a pause, the female walks around the cage and initiates another mounting sequence. Mean newborn birth weight is 319 g, which is about 3% the weight of the mother. The young start to eat solid food at the age ofsix to eight weeks.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix III (India). Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Classified as Critically Endangered on the China Red List. Habitat loss and degradation could be a major threat: in South-east Asia, there has been forest loss and degradation through logging and conversion to non-forest land-uses. On Borneo, the overall density of civets (including the Binturong) in logged forests was found to be significantly lower than in primary forests. In the Philippines, Binturongs are harvested for the pet trade. Hunting is a threat, particularly snaring, as they descend to the ground occasionally; in Vietnam, a Binturong was found in a snare-trap. There has been an increased demand for civet meat in Chinese and Vietnamese markets;it is considered particularly tasty in parts of Laos and civets are also taken for human consumption in southern areas. Binturongs are found in markets in Laos and skins are traded to Vietnam. They are hunted in north-east India, as civet oil is believed to have aphrodisiac properties. Field surveys, ecological studies, and assessments of threats are needed. In order to manage captive breeding programs of this species, there is a Population Management Plan in American zoos and a European Studbook Programme in European zoos.
Bibliography. Arivazhagan & Thiyagesan (2001), Austin (2002), Austin & Tewes (1999b), Azlan (2003), Corbet & Hill (1992), Cosson et al. (2007), Duckworth (1997), Esselstyn et al. (2004), Grassman, Tewes & Silvy (2005), Heydon & Bulloh (1996), Holden (2006), Jha (1999), Lekagul & McNeely (1991), Long & Hoang (2006), Nettelbeck (1997), Payne et al. (1985), Pocock (1915f, 1933c, 1939, 1945), Rozhnov (1994), Story (1945), Veron (1999), Wemmer & Murtaugh (1981), Wozencraft (2005).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2009, Viverridae, pp. 174-232 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 1 Carnivores, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 195, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5714564