The binturong is the rainforest mammal known for producing an odor often compared with buttered popcorn.
This distinctive smell comes from compounds in the animal’s urine, especially 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, which is also associated with the aroma of popcorn and toasted rice. Binturongs use scent marking to communicate through their forest habitat.
The binturong is a viverrid, related to civets and genets rather than bears, despite its bear-like body and the alternative name bearcat. It lives in South and Southeast Asian forests and spends much of its time in trees.
Binturongs are omnivores that eat fruit, small animals, eggs, and other food. Their long, muscular tails help them balance and can grip branches, an unusual adaptation among Old World carnivores.