Panaewa Zoo greets three new 'bintlets'
Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at 1:29PM 
The Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens awoke to the sound of “yelps” and “squeaks” from the habitat enclosure of Lucille and Ricky Ricardo, Hilo’s resident pair of Binturongs, on February 10, 2009.
Lucille and Ricky became permanent residents here at the zoo in 2006 and 2003, respectively. Binturongs, also known as Bearcats, are native to Southeast Asia, Malaysia and Indonesia. They are related to mongoose, but are nocturnal and arboreal, spending much of their days curled up on tree branches and basking in the sun while being active and feeding at night. Their natural diet consists of fruits, vegetables, eggs and moving prey such as rodents.
Zoo staff discovered 3 bintlets in Lucille’s nest box that cold, damp morning in February and are happy to report that Lucille is doing a great job in raising her young. The bintlets are strong and healthy and are now beginning to move about the nest box.
Stop by the zoo often and be one of the first people to see the bintlets when they are ready to leave the confines of their nest and begin to explore their rainforest habitat enclosure in a few weeks.
