Meet the new Binturong TWINS!

Drusillas Park’s binturong family is growing, and the new arrivals are twice as nice! Keepers at the Sussex Zoo are celebrating the birth of rare binturong twins, born on January 2nd, just months after their big sister Boots made history as Drusillas’ first-ever binturong baby last August.

The tiny twins, known as binlets, were born to experienced Mum Dora and proud Dad Niffler, marking another important milestone for Drusillas and the European breeding programme for this vulnerable species. When keepers carried out routine microchipping and health checks, they discovered the sex of the infants and can now confirm Dora has welcomed both a female and a male binlet - one of each!

Gemma Romanis, Head Zookeeper at Drusillas, said: “We did suspect Dora might be pregnant again, so we’d been keeping a close eye on her. But discovering not one, but two tiny binlets tucked away in the nest box was a wonderful surprise. Just six months ago, we only had two binturongs at the Park, so to grow to five in such a short space of time is an incredibly proud moment for the whole team. It’s a real testament to the high standards of animal welfare and husbandry at Drusillas - and a significant win for the conservation of this vulnerable species.”

And if that wasn’t cute enough already, older sibling Boots has taken her new role as big sister very seriously. Keepers have spotted her grooming the babies and even delivering the tastiest morsels to the nest box during feeding time, despite the twins not being ready for solid food just yet:

“Boots has absolutely embraced being a big sister,” Gemma continued: “At just over a month old, the babies are already very confident and beginning to explore outside the nest box. Boots has played a huge role in building that confidence, acting as a role model for the infants and encouraging them to follow her lead. It also helps that Dora is the calmest, most devoted mum, relaxed, attentive, and completely tuned in to her babies.”

Binturongs, often nicknamed ‘bearcats’, are native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia and are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Their wild populations are declining due to deforestation, habitat loss, and exploitation in the illegal wildlife trade - including the controversial civet coffee industry. Despite their name, binturongs are neither bears nor cats; they belong to the civet family and play an important role in forest ecosystems by dispersing seeds.

Last February, Drusillas Conservation in Action, the Park’s charity arm, partnered with The Civet Project to support their vital work, including the Civet One Health Project in Vietnam. A hugely important initiative that works to end the exploitation of civets and binturongs in the kopi luwak coffee trade through education, community engagement, and policy change.

“Binturongs are intelligent, sensitive animals, and every new arrival is incredibly important,” added Gemma, “Not just for the future of the species, but for raising awareness of the very real threats they face. Each successful birth helps strengthen the population, while also encouraging people to learn about this little-known species and consider what they can do to help protect it. That’s why stories like this are so important to share, they inspire action and help ensure binturongs are here for future generations.”

Visitors may be lucky enough to spot the tiny twins during February half term, as they begin to peek out and explore their surroundings under the watchful eyes of Mum Dora, and doting big sister Boots.

And the public can also help choose a name for the adorable zooborns! Drusillas are asking for the public’s input to decide the name of the two new binlets. Keepers have selected a shortlist of Indonesian names inspired by the twins’ personalities, including Batu (stone) and Ayuni (pure), Api (fire) and Himaya (radiance), and Sabang (forest) and Bunga (flower). The female has shown herself to be calm, relaxed and confident, often venturing out of the nest box, while her brother is already a strong, bold and fiery character who isn’t shy about making himself known! To vote for your favourite name, head to Drusillas Park socials (@drusillaspark).