An extremely rare ‘bearcat’ who died at UK zoo will be frozen to help protect the future population of the unique animal.
Penh, a ‘beloved’ Cambodian binturong who lived at Drusillas Park in East Sussex, died at the age of 18 on July 31.
He was one of only three of this type of species in European zoos and had spent 14 years in England.
The survival of binturongs is under threat in their native countries in south east Asia due to deforestation, which is why some are taken in by wildlife preserves.
Heartbroken zookeepers described Penh as a ‘cherished member’ of their animal family.
‘A true gentleman, lover of tomatoes, and a sweet and gentle soul, he will be terribly missed by his keepers and our visitors,’ Drusillas Park said in a statement.
‘But Penh’s legacy will live on.’
Animal charity Nature’s SAFE will cryogenically preserve – or freeze – Penh in order to save his genetic footprint, including his sperm and skin cells.
He’s being preserved to help bolster the binturong population after it was confirmed his sperm could be used to breed more ‘bearcats’.
‘It felt very bittersweet,’ said Drusillas Park headkeeper Gemma. ‘I’ve worked with Penh for over a decade so although I felt sad, it was also a positive feeling knowing it wasn’t necessarily the end for him.
‘The team at Nature’s SAFE lab immediately tested Penh’s sperm sample and we had confirmation it was viable.’
The park added: ‘The loss of Penh is of great sadness, but through this collaboration, his genetic legacy will live on, contributing to the conservation of binturongs for years to come.
‘Together, we are ensuring that future generations will continue to witness the wonderful diversity of the natural world.’
Binturongs get their nickname as ‘bearcats’ purely based on their appearance and walking style – and are not actually closely related to either bears or cats.
They are normally around two to three feet in length, while their tail is also nearly the same length as the body.
Binturongs weigh anywhere from 11 to 36kg and females are typically bigger than males.
The species is considered ‘vulnerable’ which is one below endangered.
Last month, it was revealed that time is ‘running out’ for the world’s most endangered sea mammal.
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