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Bearcat or Binturong

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by Moebelle, 4 Mar 2012.

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Bearcat or Binturong

  1. Binturong

    93.0%
  2. Bearcat

    7.0%
  3. Asian Bearcat

    1.2%
  4. Palawan Bearcat

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. Moebelle

    Moebelle Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    What do you prefer to call the species.
     
  2. Maguari

    Maguari Never could get the hang of Thursdays. 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Binturong. Never really known it as anything else - 'bearcat' is one of those common names I've only ever seen under 'alternative common names' but no-one seems to actually use (in the UK/Europe at least), like 'Millions Fish' for the domestic guppy or 'Laughing Jackass' for the Common/Laughing Kookaburra.
     
  3. Maguari

    Maguari Never could get the hang of Thursdays. 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Didn't see poll first time, voted now! For the record, the 'Palawan' name refers to a specific subspecies, A. b. whitei. :)
     
    Last edited: 4 Mar 2012
  4. PAT

    PAT Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I'll have to agree with Maguari. I've never actually seen bearcat used anywhere. Does Cincinnati Zoo label them as such?
     
  5. Moebelle

    Moebelle Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Yep they do. They only acknowledge that they are also called binturongs on their website.
     
  6. karoocheetah

    karoocheetah Well-Known Member

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    Binturong all the way - sounds much more exotic and it smells of popcorn apparently - anybody actually sniffed a Binturong to confirm this?
     
  7. Moebelle

    Moebelle Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I also don't day binturong because it sounds like a mouthful.
     
  8. OrangePerson

    OrangePerson Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Funny that, since you were very scornful of people who didn't know how to say tayra!
     
  9. Moebelle

    Moebelle Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Never said I had a major problem with it, and I implied at the end that I was wrong. And how does tayra relate to being a mouthful? Especially since I know how to pronounce binturong. And can we just get on the subject?

    Anyways bearcat also sounds cooler but I agree that it doesn't sound exotic.
     
    Last edited: 4 Mar 2012
  10. chizlit

    chizlit Well-Known Member

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    I got pretty close to them at Zoom and I'd say popcorn is not a word I'd use to describe the smell......
     
  11. Mr T

    Mr T Well-Known Member

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    Binturing for me. I find the term bearcat confuses people who think that it is a bear or a cat. Something similar happened when I was in Borneo and the local guide called a palm civet a 'civet cat' and everyone on the boat thought it was a kind of cat.
     
  12. bongorob

    bongorob Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I always use binturong, since it is neither a bear or a cat.
     
  13. Moebelle

    Moebelle Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Cincinnati Zoo's bearcat sign in Night Hunters. It's supposed to be a short poem like the rest of them.

    Not a bear. Not a cat.
    What is it?
    A whiskered musky mammal
    called a civet
     
  14. ChrissySalem

    ChrissySalem Member

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    I work with one and they definitely smell of popcorn
     
  15. easytigger

    easytigger Well-Known Member

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    Yup many a time :) savoury popcorn rather then cinema sweet though :)
     
  16. karoocheetah

    karoocheetah Well-Known Member

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    ooo cheers - is that all the time - so it's 'general aroma' or is it only when excited or stressed?
    I have really got to get to see one (and not get thrown out of the zoo for trying to sniff it either!!)
     
  17. ChrissySalem

    ChrissySalem Member

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    It becomes really strong when shes excited or taken to a new area, but you can smell it all the time if you dig your face into her scent glands, which is lower back just above the tail
     
  18. ChrissySalem

    ChrissySalem Member

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    Come to Chessy, we use Ezzy in the shows and pick people to come sniff her
     
  19. karoocheetah

    karoocheetah Well-Known Member

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    oooo is that Chessington? is the zoo separate from the theme park?
     
  20. ChrissySalem

    ChrissySalem Member

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    Kinda, they're trying to make it more intergrated, but they are on separate sides. You can buy zoodays tickets during winter when the theme park is closed