The Newest, Cutest Baby Animals from the World's Zoos & Aquariums

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Baby Bearcats Singapore Zoo Night Safari!

Despite having a body like a small bear and a face similar to a cat, the secretive Bearcat is actually a member of the civet family, more closely related to Mongooses and Meerkats (and true civets of course). These baby Bearcats, also known as Binturongs, were born at the Wildlife Reserves Singapore's Night Safari on January 26.

Found primarily in the rainforest treetops of South and Southeast Asia, Bearcats have a mixed diet of fruits, leaves, birds, fish and eggs. Extremely rare among carnivores, this speices has a fully prehensile tail. The meaning of their other name, Binturong, is unknown as the native language it was derived from is now extinct.

Bearcat Cub Hanging from a Tree

Baby Bearcat Cub at Singapore ZooPhoto credits: Wildlife Reserves Singapore

15 responses to “It’s a Bear! It’s a Cat! It’s Neither!”

  1. M. Harding Avatar
    M. Harding

    How endangered is this species?

  2. Andrew Bleiman Avatar

    It’s classified as Vulnerable to Extinction due to habitat destruction, poaching and capture for the pet trade. You can learn more here – http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/41690/0

  3. Mockingbird Avatar
    Mockingbird

    They’re so cute! And they smell like popcorn. :3

  4. Joe Bob Avatar
    Joe Bob

    adorable!

  5. M. Harding Avatar
    M. Harding

    I think Mike Rowe encountered this species on an episode of DIRTY JOBS and he said the same thing about the way they smell.

  6. Alverant Avatar
    Alverant

    Why doesn’t this entry appear when I click Bearcat on the left-hand menu?

  7. Andrew Bleiman Avatar

    Try “Binturongs”. Thanks for the heads up!

  8. ingilizce kursları istanbul Avatar

    ingilizce kursları istanbul e we wr

  9. softwery Avatar

    very cool

  10. J Avatar
    J

    I saw one Hell of a Bear Cat, on a Trainers shoulder! It was the size of a Coon Cat and Bob Cat cross! How-in the (WORLD), can it be related to a Mongoose or a MeerKat??????????????????

  11. Roglen Avatar
    Roglen

    chihuahua is a dog as well as tibetan mastiff

  12. Douglas Otani Avatar
    Douglas Otani

    How come I never Heard of a bearcat are they that rare that no one really sees or hears about them ever. Have any of you out there ever actually seen one up close

  13. Richard safreno Avatar
    Richard safreno

    Saw one in Sydney, Aussie zoo about 10 years ago.

  14. JAYNE RAND Avatar
    JAYNE RAND

    I LIVE IN TEXAS AND AM CURRENTLY WATCHING A PROGRAM ON ANIMAL PLANET THAT FEATURES A VET IN THESE ISLANDS CHECKING ON SOME LOCALLY BRED BEARCATS.
    THEY ARE CUTE – AND NO – I HAD NOT EVER HEARD OF THEM THOUGH IT SEEMS A LOT OF ATHLETIC TEAMS ARE NICKNAMED BEARCATS – HENRIETTA TEXAS E.G.
    F.W. KLOCK

  15. CamScanner Avatar

    How endangered is this species?
    Try “Binturongs”. Thanks for the heads up!

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