Palawan bearcat

Palawan bearcat

These nocturnal animal look like a mix between a raccoon and a tasmanian devil.

The bearcats or “binturong” at the crocodile farm spend most of the day fighting with each other like a bunch of juvenile delinquents.

Binturong – Bearcat

One of them has only 3 legs but it is hard to say if that was from an accident before the animal was brought to the refuge or if he lost it fighting with the other prisoners.

Binturong are a fine looking animal and don’t seem to be that rare on the island.

The owner of the Moana Hotel has one in the courtyard there that has become very domesticated and is downright friendly.

He eats fruits and table scraps but I found his true weakness. There was a big one of those flying cockroaches annoying us so I stepped on it and brought it over to see if the bearcat was interested.

He lunged for it. If not for the chicken wire he would have clamped down on my fingers for sure. Once he got repositioned he gulped it down with gusto.

It must be a natural favorite because he didn’t tear into prawns or chicken or vegetables that I had brought back for him from Ka Luis restaurant.

Other than that mad dash for the cockroach he was pretty docile and you could hold him in your arms no problem.

A  bearcat can be very aggressive towards another one another but did not seem hostile to me when I petted one that cane near the edge of the cage.

Bearcat resting.

Palawan Bearcat