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Bear cat bites two workers at DC’s Smithsonian National Zoo

By Sam Delgado

A 12-year-old binturong named Lola bit two staff members at the Smithsonian National Zoo in D.C. on Friday.

A staff member was conducting a routine training session with Lola when she bit the employee and “did not readily let go,” according to the National Zoo. Another staff member removed Lola and was also bitten in the process.

The two staff members have injuries that are not life-threatening and were taken to a hospital for treatment “out of an abundance of caution,” the National Zoo said in a news release.

What’s a binturong? They’re roughly the size of a medium dog and are often known as “bear cats,” the National Zoo said.

While binturongs typically eat fruits and berries, they have sharp teeth and claws for hunting small animals, such as rodents and birds.

Despite the nickname “bear cat,” binturongs aren’t closely related to bears or cats. But their stocky, muscular frame and long whiskers give them the appearance of the two animals.

Binturongs are native to tropical forests in Asia. Their conservation status is categorized as “vulnerable,” making them at high risk of extinction in the wild. Lola is one of two binturongs at the National Zoo and has lived in the Claws and Paws exhibit since 2022.

Mummified cheetahs found in Saudi caves shed light on lost populations

By The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have uncovered the mummified remains of cheetahs from caves in northern Saudi Arabia. The remains range from 130 years old to over 1,800 years old. Researchers excavated seven mummies along with the bones of 54 other cheetahs from a site near the city of Arar. Mummification prevents decay by preserving dead bodies. Egypt's mummies are the most well-known, but the process can also happen naturally in places like glacier ice, desert sands and bog sludge. The new large cat mummies have cloudy eyes and shriveled limbs, resembling dried-out husks.
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