Michigan zoo welcomes binturong babies, aka bintlets

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan’s Potter Park Zoo welcomed new additions to its family this month.

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According to WILX-TV, the Lansing attraction announced Tuesday that three bintlets, or binturong babies, were born to parents Thistle and Barry on July 4.

“This is the first binturong birth at the zoo in over two decades,” the zoo wrote in a blog post. “Two of three babies are thriving. However, the third bintlet was found to be sick, and despite 24-hour care by veterinary and animal care staff, the bintlet passed away in the week following its birth.”

Zoo guests won’t be able to see Thistle and her babies for a few months, but Barry will remain on display, according to the blog post.

The mammals, which are also known as bearcats and usually live in southeast Asia, “are born with eyes sealed and remain hidden in the mother’s thick fur for their first few days,” the zoo said. By the age of 8 weeks, they are about the same size as a domestic cat and have a coarse coat, the post added.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources considers the binturong population vulnerable, noting that the number living in the wild has declined more than 30% in 18 years.

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