Making an Ambassador Bearcat (Binturong) Lucille - Cincinnati Zoo

After four months of working with her care team, Lucille the bearcat is ready to attend her first University of Cincinnati basketball game. Many UC students don’t know what a bearcat is, even though that is the university’s mascot, and most have never seen one! Taking Lucille to campus gives them an opportunity to learn about them and get close enough to care!! Many steps are required to prepare an animal to be an ambassador, and one of the most important is bonding with the care team. Because the care team knows her so well, they can assess a positive response to new stimuli. They constantly monitor her behavior and methodically add new stimuli after they are sure that she is okay with everything else in her surroundings. Certain behaviors, like eating, demonstrate that Lucille is comfortable. Her care team looks for these signs. Lucille lets them know when she is finished, and she always has the option to go into her crate. Subscribe: Facebook: h