They require thick vegetation, both in the trees and on the ground. 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. They are able to turn their ankles backwards so that their claws can still grip the trees when they are climbing down headfirst. It smells like buttered popcorn, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't taste like popcorn. Why Binturongs' Pee Smells Like Buttery Popcorn. Apparently, it's a chemical in their urine. The Answer: The animal you are thinking of is called a binturong or "Asian bear cat" as it is sometimes called. The Binturong or Asian Bearcat: The Only Mammal that Smells Like Popcorn It forms a distinct genus, with nine described subspecies which vary little in appearance. A binturong is a Southeast Asian Animal with a specific smell that makes a lot of people think of hot, buttered popcorn. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. These glands are located under its tail and secrete a musk that is said to smell like popcorn. They advertise themselves as conservation & such but I am unsure/on the fence with how much or how they do so.) Wandering through the forests of south-east Asia and you might suddenly wonder if there’s a movie theatre nearby. They are one of the few carnivores which have a prehensile tail. Adults grow to 2–3 feet long and weigh 30–50 pounds. Got to let it as he passed by. The animals use the odor to mark territory as well as to attract mates. Weird & Wacky, Copyright © 2020 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company. Life span Approx 20 years. Latest. Using a technique called gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the team identified 29 chemical compounds in the animals’ urine. What is a viverrid, you ask? 2016. This smells like ... popcorn! Image credit: Carolina Tiger Rescue. 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. Instead, they’re most closely related to civets, which are lean, cat-like mammals. 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. In females, these are on either side of the vulva while in males they are found between the scrotum and penis. He's famously fragrant, often described as smelling like hot buttered popcorn. The Binturong or Asian Bearcat: The Only Mammal that Smells Like Popcorn As with many other members of its genus and family, the Binturong has scent glands it uses to mark trees and foliage. And for good reason -- the chemical compound that gives freshly made popcorn its mouthwatering smell is also the major aroma emitted by binturong pee, finds a new … (I’m ashamed to admit. Binturongs are important ecologically as controllers of rodent populations and dispensers of seeds. The binturong is a viverrid. 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. A binturong named Bok is pictured above. Records from outside this range include a 1928 record from Guangxi, China, a record from Calauit Island, Philippines, and several from Cambodia. It drags its tail as it moves around, leaving a popcorn-like smell to mark its territories. Reproductive endocrine patterns and volatile urinary compounds of Arctictis binturong: discovering why bearcats smell like popcorn. Nov 28, 2018 - Explore Ronnie Owens's board "Binturong Bearcat Odd Colored", followed by 150 people on Pinterest. What a Strange Name! This is likely due to an odor they emit from their scent or musk glands. Let's find out more. The binturong is a mammal that lives in South and Southeast Asia. 2 The Binturong Smells Like Buttered Popcorn. Science of Nature 103: 37; doi: 10.1007/s00114-016-1361-4, © 2011-2020. Their life span in a protected environment is about 10-20 years. The bearcat. But if you walk past a binturong, that’s precisely the scent you’ll notice. 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. They have been known to eat carrion, small invertebrates, eggs, leaves, and plant shoots, too. MikeLane45 via Getty Images Scientists say they've solved why bearcats, or bintorongs, smell like hot popcorn. The binturong. They smell like buttered popcorn. Binturongs smell like popcorn. Like other members of the Viverridae family, the binturong has scent glands, which are located just under its tail. We couldn’t play with it like this guy in the video. This little guy may look a bit unusual but smells divine! By Grennan Milliken. Tweet; Binturongs are a shaggy-haired creature from Southeast Asia. And its appearance isn’t even its strangest quality. “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. Habitat of the Binturong. Unfortunately, the origin of the name is unknown because people no longer speak the indigenous language and there is … Mmm, popcorn. A 40-pound mammal creeps along a tree branch in a steamy forest. This same black fur is known to cast a smell that is similar to popcorn. The same compound is also responsible for the comforting aromas of toasted bread and cooked rice. What the heck is a Binturong? 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. Conservation status Vulnerable. 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. 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. The binturong has a unique scent that smells like buttered popcorn. They've also figured out that the smell is not coming from the scent glands under their tails as previously thought. 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 or Asian Bearcat: The Only Mammal that Smells Like Popcorn. Download The Map Additional Facts. Distribution of the Binturong Photo credit: Wikimedia. The binturong’s an inquisitive animal, and appears something similar to a mix from a raccoon along with a stuffed animal. I’ve had a binturong walk across my lap at a animal reserve kind of place. They also drag their tails as they move about in the trees, leaving a scent trail on the branches and leaves behind them. “The question was: how do they do it? 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. 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. The urine of these unusual Southeast Asian mammals smells uncannily like this favorite movie theater treat. 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, … Longevity. Sci-News.com. It could be that binturong pee smells funny because of something they eat.”. Two animals which may prey on them are the dhole or the tiger. This is the binturong… The binturong is also called bearcat. https://www.thedodo.com/binturong-animal-smells-popcorn-1808008048.html It is the largest species in the family Viverridae. All Rights Reserved. Found in the densest rain forests of Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and Malaysia, the binturong is nocturnal, grows to be about six feet long, and is covered in long black fur.. More Animals. Their hair coloration can vary from black to brown with white, silver, or rust on the tips, which gives these animals a grizzled appearance. When binturongs pee, they squat, and the urine soaks their feet and tails. Characteristic Smell – Binturongs have a characteristic smell – to humans, they smell like hot, buttered popcorn. And for good reason -- the chemical compound that gives freshly made popcorn its mouthwatering smell is also the major aroma emitted by Diy. People who've spent … Females are around 20 percent larger than males. The musk glands emit an odor reminiscent of popcorn or corn chips, likely due to the volatile compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline in the urine, which is also produced in the Maillard reaction at high temperatures. 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! Binturong have been described as having a distinct smell similar to that of popcorn or corn chips. Posted on April 14, 2016. Like many other species in the family Viverridae, the binturong has a scent gland which is located under its tail. Binturongs live in the canopies of tall, dense, tropical forests. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. If this animal isn’t cool enough already, it also has a unique scent that smells like buttered popcorn, coming from glands near its tail. They are classified as carnivores but eat most anything that suits their fancy: mainly fruits, but also vegetables, birds, small mammals, and fish. Binturongs are classed as carnivores but eat most anything that suits their fancy: mainly fruits, but also vegetables, birds, small mammals, and fish. September 6, 2018 The Science Thinkers 0 Comments. Their urine contains the chemical 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2 … And for good reason — the chemical compound that … April 14, 2016. If you were to make this compound, you would have to use temperatures above what most animals can achieve physiologically,” Prof. Drea said. Isaac Hayes's "Hot Buttered Soul" is actually about the urine of this bearcat. Scientists have determined that this scent comes from a compound in binturong pee. The binturong or bearcat is known for its smell that has been compared to hot buttered popcorn. As with many other members of its genus and family, the Binturong has scent glands it uses to mark trees and foliage. Produced in their scent glands it uses to mark its territories a smell! 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