Predicted distribution of the binturong Arctictis binturong (Mammalia: Carnivora: Viverridae) on Borneo

The binturong Arctictis binturong is a medium-sized carnivore in the civet family Viverridae with a wide geographic distribution in South-east Asia and adjacent parts of South Asia and China. Habitat loss and hunting have led to its classification as Vulnerable by The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The binturong is thought to be forest dependent, although it has been recorded in logged forest and its exact habitat requirements remain unclear. We analysed 47 (Balanced Model) or 83 (Spatial Filtering Model) location records, respectively, to predict habitat suitability across Borneo. The results of the model predict a large area of Borneo to be suitable habitat although the extreme lowlands and much of southern Borneo (South Kalimantan) are predicted to be less suitable or non-sampled, respectively. There is high overlap between protected areas and areas of predicted high suitability. The interior of Borneo, in particular North Kalimantan, is predicted to be highly suitable. A greater survey effort for the binturong in the hitherto less studied Brunei Darussalam and South Kalimantan is warranted.