Binturong cubs take first steps outside

Two cat-like bears said to smell like popcorn have been caught on camera taking their first steps outside their zoo enclosure.

The binturong cubs were recorded as they ventured into their large outdoor habitat at Edinburgh Zoo, under the watchful eye of their mother Poppy.

Yet to be named by keepers, the kits have spent the last six months in the cubbing den and developing their climbing skills.

Native to rainforests in south-east Asia, binturongs are a member of the civet family, with their distinctive, popcorn scent coming from a chemical compound in their urine.

Sometimes known as bear-cats, they are classified as vulnerable in the wild, with their population having declined by around a third over the past 18 years.

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