Binturong Quiz: The Bearcat That Smells Like Popcorn

This binturong quiz climbs into the rainforest canopy of Southeast Asia. Play 10 interactive questions on the bearcat that is neither bear nor cat, its civet family, the popcorn smell in its urine, the chemical 2-AP that also flavors popcorn, a gripping prehensile tail, life in the trees, a love of figs, seed spreading and threats from habitat loss.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Region
Where do binturongs live?
Nickname
What is the binturong's nickname?
Family
Which animal family does it belong to?
Smell
What does binturong scent often smell like?
Chem
Which chemical causes the popcorn smell?
Tail
What can the binturong's tail do?
Rare
Which other carnivore shares a gripping tail?
Home
Where does the binturong spend much time?
Food
Which fruit is a favorite?
Role
How does the binturong help forests?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Where do binturongs live?
Answer: South and Southeast Asia
They live in rainforests.
Q2: What is the binturong's nickname?
Answer: Bearcat
It is neither bear nor cat.
Q3: Which animal family does it belong to?
Answer: Civets
Viverridae is the family.
Q4: What does binturong scent often smell like?
Answer: Buttered popcorn
Visitors notice it at zoos.
Q5: Which chemical causes the popcorn smell?
Answer: 2-AP, also found in popcorn
It forms in their urine.
Q6: What can the binturong's tail do?
Answer: Grip branches
It is prehensile.
Q7: Which other carnivore shares a gripping tail?
Answer: The kinkajou
Few carnivores have one.
Q8: Where does the binturong spend much time?
Answer: In the treetops
It is arboreal.
Q9: Which fruit is a favorite?
Answer: Figs
It also eats small animals.
Q10: How does the binturong help forests?
Answer: It spreads seeds
Strangler fig seeds pass through it.

A Popcorn-Scented Tree Climber

The binturong lives in the rainforests of South and Southeast Asia. Nicknamed the bearcat, it is neither a bear nor a cat but belongs to the civet family. It spends much of its life in the treetops, moving slowly along branches.

Its scent often smells like buttered popcorn. Scientists found the smell comes from 2-AP, the same chemical that forms when popcorn is cooked, present in the binturong's urine, which it uses to mark territory.

The binturong's prehensile tail grips branches like an extra hand, a rare trait shared with the kinkajou among carnivores. It loves figs and helps spread the seeds of strangler figs through its droppings. Habitat loss threatens many populations.

What This Quiz Teaches

Animal fans will enjoy these questions.

Where binturongs live
Which family they belong to
Why they smell of popcorn
How their tail works
How they help forests

Did You Know?

Binturongs have long whiskers.
They are mostly active at night.
Their ankles rotate for climbing down.
They can swim when needed.
Zoos run breeding programs.