The Status of Nepal's Mammals: The National Red List Series - IUCN

101
61) Arctictis binturong (Raffles, 1821)
Common Names
Binturong (English); Bhalu Biralo (Nepali)
Species Description
Largest civet species in Nepal with black, thick and
muscular prehensile tail, long white whiskers and
white edge to its ears. Its long shaggy coat is
suggestive of a bear. Body colour is mostly black but
an intermingling of partly white and buff hairs give
it a grizzled appearance. The head is speckled with
grey, especially in juveniles.
Species Ecology
The Binturong is confined to tall forests. The main
food sources are fruits and small animals such as
insects, birds, and rodents and may also include fish.
Age at first reproduction is about 30 months and
after a gestation period of 84 to 99 days a litter of
one to three cubs is born. Bintourong can live up to
18 years.
Conservation Status
Global: Vulnerable A2cd
National: Data Deficient
Rationale for assessment: There is insufficient
information available to make an accurate
assessment of the extinction risk of this species in
Nepal. This species may qualify for a threatened
status under category B due to its small extent of
occurrence, however further information is required.
Legal Status
National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029
(1973)
National Distribution
This species has been recorded from a small
distribution in eastern Nepal although no exact
location is given and there have been no recent
observations.
Distribution outside Nepal
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia,
China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam.
Main Threats
• Habitat loss and degradation.
• Accidental and unintentional mortality.
References
Lekagul and McNeely 1977, Wemmer and Murtaugh 1981, Duckworth et al. 1999, Ernst 2003,
Baral and Shah 2008, Nepal Red List of Mammals Field Technicians Workshop 2010.