April 14, 2016. Scientists say they’ve solved the mystery of why the Southeast Asian mammals emit an odor resembling a tasty snack. Conservation status Vulnerable. Binturong Urine Smells Like Hot Buttered Popcorn. 2 The Binturong Smells Like Buttered Popcorn. The binturong is a viverrid. Prof. Drea and her colleagues searched for 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline in the binturongs’ kibble, the one cooked item in their diet, but they didn’t detect any. That’s because part of Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia are home to the Binturong – a cat like a carnivore with pee smells like buttered popcorn. They advertise themselves as conservation & such but I am unsure/on the fence with how much or how they do so.) The compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline normally forms in popcorn during the popping process, when heat kicks off reactions between sugars and amino acids in the corn kernels. Tweet; Binturongs are a shaggy-haired creature from Southeast Asia. Like many other species in the family Viverridae, the binturong has a scent gland which is located under its tail. Wandering through the forests of south-east Asia and you might suddenly wonder if there’s a movie theatre nearby. It smells like buttered popcorn, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't taste like popcorn. The Binturong or Asian Bearcat: The Only Mammal that Smells Like Popcorn. Binturongs smell like popcorn. This little guy may look a bit unusual but smells divine! He's famously fragrant, often described as smelling like hot buttered popcorn. Let's find out more. “The fact that the compound was in every binturong we studied, and at relatively high concentrations, means it could be a signal that says, ‘A binturong was here,’ and whether it was male or female,” said study first author Lydia Greene, a graduate student at Duke University. Many people who have met these creatures notice the same thing: they smell like hot buttered popcorn. Mmm, popcorn. Records from outside this range include a 1928 record from Guangxi, China, a record from Calauit Island, Philippines, and several from Cambodia. A binturong named Bok is pictured above. In females, these are on either side of the vulva while in males they are found between the scrotum and penis. Binturongs are classed as carnivores but eat most anything that suits their fancy: mainly fruits, but also vegetables, birds, small mammals, and fish. Binturongs are widespread in south and Southeast Asia occurring in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China (Yunnan province), India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines (Palawan), Thailand, and Viet Nam. Please note: We cannot get walkers or wheelchairs into this exhibit. We couldn’t play with it like this guy in the video. The Binturong or Asian Bearcat: The Only Mammal that Smells Like Popcorn. What is a viverrid, you ask? The real meaning of the binturongs name is not known because the language that its name came from is now extinct. Diy. The binturong, also known as bearcat, is a heavily built, robust civet with a fearsome appearance and is one of only two carnivores with a prehensile tail. People who've spent … Its nickname is the bearcat because it has the face of a cat and the body of a small bear, but it is related to the civet. The binturong is a mammal native to the rain forests of Southeast Asia. As with many other members of its genus and family, the Binturong has scent glands it uses to mark trees and foliage. That's actually the animal's pee, which shares the chemical compound that gives popcorn its savory scent. Apparently, it's a chemical in their urine. Only one of their most striking features is exactly what it has the aroma of – people frequently express it evokes recollections of hot, buttered popcorn. Posted on April 14, 2016. Yum? This is the binturong… The bearcat. They are one of the few carnivores which have a prehensile tail. The binturong is a fierce, canopy-dwelling carnivore, with a prehensile tail, a sweet tooth for figs, and it smells like buttered popcorn; it is also threatened. And for good reason -- the chemical compound that gives freshly made popcorn its mouthwatering smell is also the major aroma emitted by To use this video for broadcast or in a commercial player please email newsdesk@newsflare.com or call +44 … Binturongs live in the canopies of tall, dense, tropical forests. September 6, 2018 The Science Thinkers 0 Comments. Step 2 : Answer to the question "The bearcat or binturong has a distinctive scent that smells like ...\u00a0" Popcorn: Please let us know as comment, if the answer is not correct! The binturong. All Rights Reserved. Latest. The binturong has a unique scent that smells like buttered popcorn. Photo credit: Wikimedia. In the case of the binturong, researchers think the compound may be produced when the animal's urine reacts with bacteria in the animal's gut, skin, or fur, … They require thick vegetation, both in the trees and on the ground. Characteristic Smell – Binturongs have a characteristic smell – to humans, they smell like hot, buttered popcorn. The binturong (Arctictis binturong). As with many other members of its genus and family, the Binturong has scent glands it uses to mark trees and foliage. More Animals. Image credit: Carolina Tiger Rescue. And for good reason — the chemical compound that gives freshly made popcorn its mouthwatering smell is also the major aroma emitted by binturong pee, according to Prof. Drea and co-authors. Unlike most other carnivorans, the male binturong does not have a baculum. “A more likely explanation is that 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline is produced when binturong urine comes in contact with bacteria and other microorganisms that live on the animal’s skin or fur or in its gut,” the scientists said. Or popcorn smells like binturongs. Binturongs are important ecologically as controllers of rodent populations and dispensers of seeds. 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Distribution of the Binturong Nov 28, 2018 - Explore Ronnie Owens's board "Binturong Bearcat Odd Colored", followed by 150 people on Pinterest. Their life span in a protected environment is about 10-20 years. Whatever you call this shy, shaggy-haired creature from Southeast Asia, many people who have met one notice the same thing: it smells like a movie theater snack bar.Most describe it as hot buttered popcorn. The binturong. Unfortunately, the origin of the name is unknown because people no longer speak the indigenous language and there is … The binturong is also called bearcat. This same black fur is known to cast a smell that is similar to popcorn. Scientists have determined that this scent comes from a compound in binturong pee. They've also figured out that the smell is not coming from the scent glands under their tails as previously thought. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. Quick facts. It could be that binturong pee smells funny because of something they eat.”. Longevity. Their urine contains the chemical 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2 … Apparently scent isn’t always the best guide of what to eat - after all, bearcat pee smells like hot buttered popcorn. A binturong hangs upside down at the Singapore Zoo. Conservation . Tapir: The Ancient Fruitarian With the Tiny Trunk, Bobcats Are Back From the Brink (and Possibly in Your Backyard), Information about the device's operating system, Information about other identifiers assigned to the device, The IP address from which the device accesses a client's website or mobile application, Information about the user's activity on that device, including web pages and mobile apps visited or used, Information about the geographic location of the device when it accesses a website or mobile application. The Answer: The animal you are thinking of is called a binturong or "Asian bear cat" as it is sometimes called. 2016. Got to let it as he passed by. Habitat of the Binturong. Instead, they’re most closely related to civets, which are lean, cat-like mammals. As they travel, binturongs rub a pungent substance produced in their scent glands onto branches and foliage. This allows them to create a scent trail whenever they move through the rainforests they call home, marking their territory and signaling their locations to other binturongs. The animal looks like a cross between a cat and a bear. Notably, his smell. In a paper appearing online in the journal Science of Nature, they analyzed urine samples collected during routine physical examinations of 33 binturongs at Carolina Tiger Rescue, a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary in Pittsboro, North Carolina. Two animals which may prey on them are the dhole or the tiger. The body length is 24 to 38 inches (60 to 96 cm). Then again, the binturong is a mammal of many distinctions. Females live approximately 15 years and males about 18. The binturong is a mammal that lives in South and Southeast Asia. The binturong has a unique scent that smells like buttered popcorn. A binturong is a Southeast Asian Animal with a specific smell that makes a lot of people think of hot, buttered popcorn. Their hair coloration can vary from black to brown with white, silver, or rust on the tips, which gives these animals a grizzled appearance. It is the largest species in the family Viverridae. Binturongs have a very unique smell, which is like popcorn. Life span Approx 20 years. And for good reason — the chemical compound that … The binturong’s an inquisitive animal, and appears something similar to a mix from a raccoon along with a stuffed animal.Only one of their most striking features is exactly what it has the aroma of – people frequently express it evokes recollections of hot, buttered popcorn. Tasty snack please note: we can not get walkers or wheelchairs into this exhibit toasted bread and cooked.... 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