Research into binturong social behavior is informing evidence-based decisions about group versus solitary housing that affect welfare outcomes in zoological collections.
The evidence base for binturong social housing is limited by the species' poorly studied wild social system, creating uncertainty about optimal captive management. The conservative approach of assessing individual binturong personalities before attempting group housing acknowledges this uncertainty appropriately. Cases where compatible individuals, particularly females, show affiliative behaviors in group housing suggest that solitary housing is not automatically the welfare-optimal approach for this species. The welfare assessment must weigh the potential benefit of social interaction against the welfare risk of aggression between incompatible individuals. Progressive facilities are conducting systematic compatibility assessments and documenting outcomes to build the evidence base that current binturong social management decisions lack.