Advanced binturong group management and enrichment programs at leading zoological facilities provide models for achieving high welfare standards in this under-studied viverrid species.
Leading binturong programs demonstrate what high welfare standards look like for this species: extensive vertical space with varied climbing complexity, rich olfactory environments stimulating natural scent communication, diverse food presentation requiring foraging effort, and compatible social groupings with adequate space for social behavior and retreat. The keeper relationship is particularly important for binturongs — animals that have positive associations with their keepers can participate voluntarily in health monitoring that provides welfare benefits without the trauma of forced restraint. Sharing management expertise through studbook programs and keeper networks raises baseline welfare standards across the global binturong population. These models illustrate how investment in species-specific husbandry knowledge translates directly into improved individual animal welfare.