In the humid, dense rainforests of Southeast Asia lives a mammal whose appearance alone may be troubling. It is present in Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. He has a big, stocky bear-like body and a face that resembles a cat, but he will not be a cat.
This animal is the binturong, often called the “bear”. But his strangeness goes far beyond his physical form. The Binturong has a feature that seems almost unbelievable: its body emits an odor strikingly just like freshly buttered popcorn.
Why Binturong smells like popcorn
The distinctive popcorn-like aroma related to binturongs comes from a chemical compound called 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP). This compound is widely generally known as a key component of the flavour of popcorn, toasted bread and cooked rice.
In binturongs, 2-AP is present in the urine, making them some of the unusual examples of chemical communication between mammals.
Binturongs use urine to mark their territory and signal their presence to others. When urinating, they adopt a squatting posture, which causes urine to cover their feet and tail.
As they move along tree branches, these urine-soaked body parts are dragged across surfaces, leaving scent trails that spread widely throughout the forest cover.
Laboratory analyzes identified at the least 29 chemicals in binturong urine. However, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline is the one compound consistently present in every sample.
Notably, its concentration is higher in males, suggesting a task in reproductive communication, including attracting mates and signaling hormonal status.
Initially, the presence of 2-AP within the warm-blooded animal intrigued scientists since the compound often forms at high temperatures, much higher than mammalian body temperatures.
The most certainly explanation is that the odor arises from the interaction between urine and bacteria or microorganisms living on the binturong’s skin, fur and digestive tract. It is a biological process that produces flavor with none type of “cooking”.
A bear-sized body with monkey-level skills
In addition to its unusual scent, the binturong has a set of physical characteristics that make it highly adapted to life in trees. Its body is roofed in thick black fur with silvery suggestions, giving it a shaggy yet powerful appearance.
The face is framed by long whiskers and huge eyes, and the ears are short and decorated with small tufts.
Its most striking feature is its prehensile tail, a flexible tool that acts as a fifth limb. This tail allows the binturong to grip branches, support its body weight, and even hang while feeding. It is one in all the few carnivorous mammals on this planet that has a totally prehensile tail.
Binturongs are nocturnal and are mostly solitary. They rest on tree branches through the day, and at night they change into lively, moving around and searching for food. Although their eyesight is comparatively poor through the day, their acute sense of smell serves as their foremost aid in navigation and communication.
Fruit lover with a whole lot of work within the forest
Despite belonging to a spiritual order Carnivorousbinturong is an omnivore and could be very keen on fruit. Figs are particularly keen on figs, even though it also eats small animals, eggs, insects and other plant matter.
This weight-reduction plan makes the binturong an efficient seed disperser, playing a vital role in forest regeneration.
However, this ecological role is increasingly threatened by human activities. Deforestation, agricultural expansion, hunting and illegal wildlife trade have led to population declines across much of Asia.
The Binturong is currently classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Additional threats include vehicle collisions when individuals come to the bottom to maneuver between habitats.
