Binturong smells of popcorn This video is managed by Newsflare. They are able to turn their ankles backwards so that their claws can still grip the trees when they are climbing down headfirst. Aggressive as it is, the binturong smells like popcorn. 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, … The bearcat. Yum? 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. “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. 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.. A team of scientists led by Prof. Christine Drea of Duke University has identified a chemical compound that gives binturongs (Arctictis binturong) their characteristic scent. Isaac Hayes's "Hot Buttered Soul" is actually about the urine of this bearcat. April 14, 2016. No joke. The binturong smells like buttery, delicious popcorn because of a chemical in its urine. 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. (I’m ashamed to admit. The animals use the odor to mark territory as well as to attract mates. They smell like buttered popcorn. Diy. I guess it depends on your perspective. Prof. Drea and her colleagues searched for 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline in the binturongs’ kibble, the one cooked item in their diet, but they didn’t detect any. It drags its tail as it moves around, leaving a popcorn-like smell to mark its territories. The binturong is a mammal that lives in South and Southeast Asia. It forms a distinct genus, with nine described subspecies which vary little in appearance. Unlike most other carnivorans, the male binturong does not have a baculum. 2 The Binturong Smells Like Buttered Popcorn. September 6, 2018 The Science Thinkers 0 Comments. Distribution of the Binturong The binturong. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. Apparently, it's a chemical in their urine. They are one of the few carnivores which have a prehensile tail. What’s even weirder is the creature's smell: It gives off the scent of buttered popcorn! The binturong has very few predators. This allows them to create a scent trail whenever they move through the rainforests they call home, marking their territory and signaling their locations to other binturongs. The binturong or bearcat is known for its smell that has been compared to hot buttered popcorn. Reproductive endocrine patterns and volatile urinary compounds of Arctictis binturong: discovering why bearcats smell like popcorn. And for good reason — the chemical compound that gives freshly made popcorn its mouthwatering smell is also the major aroma emitted by binturong pee, according to Prof. Drea and co-authors. Quick facts. Instead, they’re most closely related to civets, which are lean, cat-like mammals. 2016. More Animals. They also drag their tails as they move about in the trees, leaving a scent trail on the branches and leaves behind them. Habitat of the Binturong. The estimated average weight for the species ranges from 9 to 20 kg. And for good reason -- the chemical compound that gives freshly made popcorn its mouthwatering smell is also the major aroma emitted by It could be that binturong pee smells funny because of something they eat.”. “How does this animal make a cooking smell, but without cooking? Binturong have been described as having a distinct smell similar to that of popcorn or corn chips. Conservation status Vulnerable. Records from outside this range include a 1928 record from Guangxi, China, a record from Calauit Island, Philippines, and several from Cambodia. The urine of these unusual Southeast Asian mammals smells uncannily like this favorite movie theater treat. This little guy may look a bit unusual but smells divine! The Binturong or Asian Bearcat: The Only Mammal that Smells Like Popcorn. Binturong - Photo: Rudmer Zwerver/Shutterstock . Wandering through the forests of south-east Asia and you might suddenly wonder if there’s a movie theatre nearby. 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. They are classified as carnivores but eat most anything that suits their fancy: mainly fruits, but also vegetables, birds, small mammals, and fish. They are primarily nocturnal. Two animals which may prey on them are the dhole or the tiger. As they travel, binturongs rub a pungent substance produced in their scent glands onto branches and foliage. Females are around 20 percent larger than males. Image credit: Carolina Tiger Rescue. Adults grow to 2–3 feet long and weigh 30–50 pounds. Binturongs are important ecologically as controllers of rodent populations and dispensers of seeds. As with many other members of its genus and family, the Binturong has scent glands it uses to mark trees and foliage. At the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, binturongs eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, a fortified, meat-based commercial carnivore diet, and low-starch, high-fiber primate biscuits. Binturongs live in the canopies of tall, dense, tropical forests. See more ideas about Binturong, Animals, Mammals. Solved why bearcats, or bintorongs, smell like popcorn bearcat pee smells buttered. Followed by 150 people on Pinterest but I am unsure/on the fence with how much or how they do?. Also known as Asian bear cats and Malay civet cats mark trees and foliage –. Years, the binturong binturong smells popcorn scent glands it uses to mark trees and foliage the forest canopy love... Cats and Malay civet cats Asian animal with a stuffed animal creeps along a tree branch a... Mammals smells uncannily like this favorite movie theater treat 's a chemical in their scent it! Travel, binturongs rub a pungent substance produced in their urine its tail and secrete a musk is... 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