| Mammals | Terresterial |
Binturong
Arctictis binturong binturong
| Conservation Status: Threatened
- Aquarium of the Pacific
- Rungus, a former resident of the Aquarium's Explorer's Cove.
Binturongs live in rainforest canopies. They crawl and hang upside-down in the canopy like sloths and come down trees head-first like squirrels. On the ground they walk flat-footed, ambling from side to side like bears. They stand on their hind legs balancing on their tails like kangaroos.
Facts and Features
- Geographic Distribution
Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, and Borneo
- Amazing Facts
Binturongs have a definite preference for the fruit of the strangler fig, the primary canopy plant of their forest habitats. Seeds of the strangler fig cannot germinate without assistance. These animals make germination possible by breaking down the outside coating of the seeds during digestion, excreting them in their droppings, ready to grow.
- At the Aquarium
Rungus, our male binturong, came to us from a captive breeding program in the United States. He was trained to accept a harness and leash so he could have a daily walk around Shark Lagoon where he was especially fond of the grassy area. Unfortunately, when he began to reach maturity, his disposition changed so he changed homes. Rungus was donated to the Chafee Zoo in Fresno, California where he will become part of a breeding program developed to save this threatened species.