Binturongs are large, prehensile-tailed viverrids from Southeast Asia with specialized arboreal requirements. Their welfare in zoo settings requires careful attention to climbing opportunities and scent communication.
Binturong welfare requires complex arboreal enclosures with robust structures capable of supporting their substantial weight (up to 20 kg) at height. Prehensile tail use requires branches of appropriate diameter and orientation. Scent marking opportunities — providing novel objects to mark and allowing natural scent communication within groups — are important for psychological welfare. Frugivorous dietary enrichment with varied fruit species maintains both nutrition and behavioral engagement. As crepuscular and nocturnal animals, their activity management must accommodate natural timing. Social housing should reflect their semi-solitary wild behavior — compatible individuals can be housed together, but retreat options must always be available. Their unusual popcorn odor can be a welfare-positive indicator of comfort with their environment.