Say hello to the newest additions to the Tropics Trail: two binturongs! “Garrett,” a 1-year-old male, and “Felix,” a 9-month-old male, come to us from Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden in Indiana.

Binturongs are tree dwellers in the family of cat-like carnivores that includes civets and mongooses. They are omnivores who eat tropical fruit, insects, eggs, and leaves.

Native to the dense, tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia, binturongs are vulnerable to extinction due to hunting and habitat lost to logging and palm oil plantations. Many food items, cleaning products, and cosmetics are made with palm oil. You can help wild binturongs when you choose products from companies committed to using sustainable palm oil.

As the binturongs become more accustomed to their new home, you may spy these shy animals snoozing in the high branches of their habitat.