The San Diego Zoo announced the late-March birth of two binturongs—also called bearcats—marking the first such births in more than 25 years. Zoo officials highlighted the babies’ buttered-popcorn scent and the conservation stakes for a vulnerable species.
Behind the scenes at the San Diego Zoo, two tiny binturongs made their grand entrance into the world—bringing a rare piece of luck back to an exhibit that hadn’t seen this in more than 25 years.
Zoo officials announced the birth of two bearcats in a recent Instagram post that included a video of the little mammals. In the post. the zoo described the animals as “liddol ones. ” noting they are spending “quality family time behind the scenes” while their mother stays busy with “round-the-clock cuddle puddles. grooming and care.” The arrivals—also known as binlets—were born in late March to first-time parents Nettle and Garret.
Binturongs earn their “bearcat” nickname thanks to a look that combines a catlike face with a bearlike body. Their scent is just as distinctive: zoo officials said their characteristic movie-theater aroma comes from their urine. which gets on their padded paws and tail. Anyone catching a whiff may think of buttered popcorn. and the zoo leaned into that comparison again when describing the babies’ odor.
Even for those who have never seen one in person, the details are unmistakable. Zoo officials said binturongs can grow to the size of a medium-size dog and are covered in shaggy black hair. Their whiskers are stiff and white. and their prehensile tail is as long as their body—features that can make them look. in the zoo’s description. like large dust mops.
The births matter beyond the cuteness, and the zoo made that connection clear. Officials said binturongs live in dense tropical and subtropical rainforests across South and Southeast Asia. They spend much of their time in trees, eating fruit, vegetables, leaves and birds, among other things. But the species is listed as vulnerable. facing threats from habitat destruction. poaching for traditional Asian medicines. and the fur and pet trade.
For the zoo, that vulnerability is part of why the timing feels like more than a feel-good moment. In the Instagram post, officials called the births “a tree-mendous win for the future of this vulnerable species,” adding that it supports conservation efforts both here and in their native habitats.
For now, Nettle and Garret’s binlets remain tucked away—small enough to be described as spending “quality family time” out of public view, but big enough to carry the message the zoo is trying to deliver: even species under pressure can still find room to come into the world.
San Diego Zoo binturong bearcat Nettle Garret binlets wildlife conservation vulnerable species buttered popcorn scent