This Animal’s PEE Smells like Popcorn?!

TL;DR

The bearcat, also known as a Binturong, is a unique species that is neither a bear nor a cat. It has the strange ability of producing urine that smells exactly like buttered popcorn.

Transcript

• [Mark] Okay, let's go find a bearcat. Oh my gosh, look at those claws, oh, whoa whoa, that's not rain, it's pee. and it smells like just like popcorn. Oh my gosh. (adventurous safari music) (dramatic music) - [Mark] Over the years, Brave Wilderness has shown you some pretty strange oddities of the animal world. We've seen tiny anteaters, worms th... Read More

Key Insights

• 😺 The bearcat, or Binturong, is a unique and interesting species that is neither a bear nor a cat.
• 🌸 It is rare and endangered due to poaching and habitat loss.
• 👃 The bearcat's urine produces a smell that is identical to buttered popcorn, due to a specific chemical compound.
• 😺 The bearcat's appearance is a combination of bear-like features, such as claws, and cat-like whiskers.
• ❓ It is primarily a nocturnal species.
• 🍸 The bearcat's tail is fully prehensile, allowing it to suspend its entire weight from the tip of its tail.
• ❓ The coloration of the bearcat's fur can vary depending on the region it is found in.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is a bearcat and where is it found?

The bearcat, also known as a Binturong, is a unique species of mammal found in Southeast Asia. It is neither a bear nor a cat, but belongs to the Viverridae family.

Q: Why is the bearcat considered rare and endangered?

The bearcat is considered rare and endangered due to poaching and habitat loss in its natural range in Southeast Asia.

Q: What is the unique characteristic of the bearcat's urine?

The bearcat's urine contains a chemical compound called 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, which is the same compound responsible for the buttered popcorn smell. It's unusual and unexpected for an animal's urine to have such a distinct scent.

Q: How long do bearcats live?

Bearcats can live up to about 25 years in captivity. The specific bearcat in the video, Sari, is approximately 11 years old.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The bearcat, or Binturong, is a rare and endangered species found in Southeast Asia.

• It is neither a bear nor a cat, but rather belongs to a family of unusual small to medium-sized mammals.

• One of the most fascinating aspects of the bearcat is its ability to produce urine that smells exactly like buttered popcorn.