The nocturnal Southeast Asian mammal with a prehensile tail and buttered-popcorn scent is the binturong.
Also called the bearcat, the binturong is an arboreal viverrid native to South and Southeast Asia. Its long, muscular tail can grip branches and acts as a valuable climbing and balancing aid. Despite its bear-like appearance, it is neither a bear nor a cat; it is more closely related to civets and genets.
Binturongs are omnivores that eat fruit, plants, insects, and small animals. Their dark, shaggy coats and slow, deliberate movements suit life in the forest canopy. They are mainly nocturnal or crepuscular, although daytime activity has also been observed.
The famous popcorn smell comes from scent glands and urine. Researchers have linked the aroma to 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, a compound also associated with the smell of cooked popcorn and some warm foods. The scent likely helps with communication and reproductive signalling. Females can also delay implantation, allowing a fertilized embryo to begin development when conditions are more favorable.