00:00What smells like popcorn and climbs trees? This is a binturong, a two to three foot long mammal
00:05that lives in the tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia. Although sometimes called a bear
00:09cat, they are neither bear nor cat. They're members of the civet family, nocturnal animals
00:14that sleep during the day and forage at night. One of the binturong's most unusual traits,
00:19however, is their smell, an aroma described as hot buttered popcorn. From glands beneath their
00:24tails, binturongs release a chemical compound called 2-acetyl-1-pyralene, the same compound
00:30produced when baking bread or cooking popcorn. The scent marks their territories in treetops and
00:35signals their presence to others around their homes. In 2016, a study found that males have more
00:40concentrated aromas, possibly to help with mate selection by better advertising their presence
00:45and hormonal status to females. What amazing animals should we share next? To find out more,
00:51head to livescience.com or click the link in our bio.
