What does a hybrid of a bear and a cat look like ?
Meet - this is BINTURONG! A 40-pound mammal creeps along a tree branch in a steamy forest. The animal looks like a cross between a cat and a bear. And its appearance
isn’t even its strangest quality. What’s even weirder is the creature's smell: It gives off the scent of buttered popcorn! This is the binturong, an animal that's full of surprises.
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Binturongs live in the rain forests of Southeast Asia. They belong to a family of carnivorous mammals that also includes civets. The animals spend most of their time hanging
out in the treetops. When they aren’t lounging on branches, they’re looking for yummy snacks such as insects, birds, and fruit.
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The animal uses its tail—which is almost as long as its body—like a fifth limb as it climbs through the forest. This tail is prehensile, which means it’s capable of gripping things.
The binturong is one of only two carnivores that has a prehensile tail. (The other is the kinkajou.) By grasping onto branches and trunks with the furry extension, the binturong
is able to move more easily along the trees.
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As they travel, binturongs rub a pungent substance produced in their scent glands onto branches and foliage. The animals use the odor to mark territory as well as to attract mates.
The substance smells like buttery popcorn. With all its cool qualities, you definitely can't turn your nose up at this odd-smelling animal! [
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