As with many other members of its genus and family, the Binturong has scent glands it uses to mark trees and foliage. A 40-pound mammal creeps along a tree branch in a steamy forest. “How does this animal make a cooking smell, but without cooking? This allows them to create a scent trail whenever they move through the rainforests they call home, marking their territory and signaling their locations to other binturongs. Isaac Hayes's "Hot Buttered Soul" is actually about the urine of this bearcat. “The fact that the compound was in every binturong we studied, and at relatively high concentrations, means it could be a signal that says, ‘A binturong was here,’ and whether it was male or female,” said study first author Lydia Greene, a graduate student at Duke University. Why Binturong Smells Like Buttered Popcorn . Binturong have been described as having a distinct smell similar to that of popcorn or corn chips. Latest. Whatever you call this shy, shaggy-haired creature from Southeast Asia, many people who have met one notice the same thing: it smells like a movie theater snack bar.Most describe it as hot buttered popcorn. He's famously fragrant, often described as smelling like hot buttered popcorn. Many people who have met these creatures notice the same thing: they smell like hot buttered popcorn. The Answer: The animal you are thinking of is called a binturong or "Asian bear cat" as it is sometimes called. And for good reason -- the chemical compound that gives freshly made popcorn its mouthwatering smell is also the major aroma emitted by The Binturong or Asian Bearcat: The Only Mammal that Smells Like Popcorn. They are able to turn their ankles backwards so that their claws can still grip the trees when they are climbing down headfirst. Science of Nature 103: 37; doi: 10.1007/s00114-016-1361-4, © 2011-2020. It smells like buttered popcorn, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't taste like popcorn. It drags its tail as it moves around, leaving a popcorn-like smell to mark its territories. What the heck is a Binturong? See more ideas about Binturong, Animals, Mammals. Binturongs pee in a squatting position, soaking their feet and bushy tails in the process. Tweet; Binturongs are a shaggy-haired creature from Southeast Asia. Apparently scent isn’t always the best guide of what to eat - after all, bearcat pee smells like hot buttered popcorn. The same compound is also responsible for the comforting aromas of toasted bread and cooked rice. Binturongs have a very unique smell, which is like popcorn. Photo credit: Wikimedia. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. And for good reason — the chemical compound that gives freshly made popcorn its mouthwatering smell is also the major aroma emitted by binturong pee, according to Prof. Drea and co-authors. The real meaning of the binturongs name is not known because the language that its name came from is now extinct. April 14, 2016. (I’m ashamed to admit. They smell like buttered popcorn. If you were to make this compound, you would have to use temperatures above what most animals can achieve physiologically,” Prof. Drea said. Two animals which may prey on them are the dhole or the tiger. They also drag their tails as they move about in the trees, leaving a scent trail on the branches and leaves behind them. Binturong - Photo: WeStudio/Shutterstock . Prof. Drea and her colleagues searched for 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline in the binturongs’ kibble, the one cooked item in their diet, but they didn’t detect any. A binturong hangs upside down at the Singapore Zoo. The Binturong or Asian Bearcat: The Only Mammal that Smells Like Popcorn As with many other members of its genus and family, the Binturong has scent glands it uses to mark trees and foliage. Binturongs live in the canopies of tall, dense, tropical forests. In females, these are on either side of the vulva while in males they are found between the scrotum and penis. Tapir: The Ancient Fruitarian With the Tiny Trunk, Bobcats Are Back From the Brink (and Possibly in Your Backyard), Information about the device's operating system, Information about other identifiers assigned to the device, The IP address from which the device accesses a client's website or mobile application, Information about the user's activity on that device, including web pages and mobile apps visited or used, Information about the geographic location of the device when it accesses a website or mobile application. It forms a distinct smell similar to a mix from a compound binturong... 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