Binturongs, the bearcat of Southeast Asia, require specialized captive management addressing their arboreal lifestyle, complex olfactory communication, and vulnerability to heat stress.
Binturong welfare in captivity requires attention to their overlooked needs: temperature management, olfactory enrichment, and sufficient arboreal complexity. Their reliance on scent marking for communication means enclosures without appropriate marking substrates and vertical structures deprive them of a fundamental behavioral outlet. Heat management is critical — facilities in temperate climates must provide climate-controlled indoor access during warm periods to prevent thermal stress. The nocturnal and cryptic nature of binturongs makes behavioral welfare assessment challenging; developing species-specific welfare assessment frameworks is an active area of zoo animal welfare research.