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News: Rare Binturong spotted by the Wildlife Trust of India’s Garo Green Spine project team in the Narang Wari Village Reserve Forest (VRF) in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills.
About Binturong
- They are the largest member of the civet family (Viverridae). They are also known as the bearcat.
- They are primarily nocturnal animals.
- Physical feature: They are one of two carnivorous species with a prehensile tail which helps in climbing. (The other is the kinkajou).
- Distribution and habitat: They prefer tropical rainforests and dense forest cover. They are found in wide range from northeast India to Southeast Asia. In India, they have been recorded in Assam’s Manas National Park and also in Kaziranga National Park in 2024.
- Ecological significance: They play a vital role in forest regeneration, aiding in seed dispersal and supporting the survival of many other species.
- Conservation:
- IUCN status – Vulnerable
- CITES – Appendix III
- Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
- World Binturong Day is held every second Saturday of May.
