Binturong Attacks Keeper

Sheila Allen/Creative Commons
Below is a muckraking news report about a woman attacked by a captive binturong, or bearcat. The binturong is yet another animal unlikely to ever hurt a person except in captivity. I'm assuming a lot of readers have never heard of this animal, so here's the lowdown:


Closest relatives: The civets...which probably doesn't tell you much. These form one of the more primitive lines of the carnivorids. 

Size: A couple of feet long; usually not over 25 pounds. An average specimen is about like a housecat, a big one comparable to a big raccoon.


Diet: Mostly herbivorous, though it will take eggs and insects. 


Freakiest feature: A prehensile tail, like that of some monkeys. 


As a carnivorid, it's equipped with biting gear:




But, as you can see, the teeth are rather fine. It is unlikely to inflict life-threatening wounds. 


Bearcat Attacks Worker At Exotic Wildlife Park In Spring: MyFoxHOUSTON.com