Site icon THE FIGS OF BORNEO

Ficus variegata and Striped Palm Civet at Tabin, Sabah

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A female endemic Bornean Striped Palm Civet Arctogalidia stigmatica feeding on Ficus variegata  fruit at Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Sabah

This female searched the fruiting Ficus variegata fig tree systematically for ripe figs carefully sniffing each fig before making a decision.  Ficus variegata figs ripen (produce viable seeds) whilst still green, however Striped Palm Civets are also known to eat unripe fruit. (Note: We are making an assumption in this case that the civet was eating only ripe figs and therefore acting as a  seed disperser rather than a seed predator)
At Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Sabah, Striped Palm Civets  are much less common than Island Palm Civets. Island Palm Civets are often seen on the ground at night and feed in lower trees than Striped Palm Civets. However both species are often seen feeding on the ripe figs of  4 common pioneer species including Ficus variegata, Ficus septica, Ficus lepicarpa and Ficus fistulosa.
Most of the forest at Tabin was logged twice, the last time about 25 years ago. The logged forest is surrounded by oil palm estates  and there are also some virgin jungle reserves. Since logging the forest has been allowed to grow back and Tabin is now very rich in wildlife including abundant Bearded Pigs and their most serious predator Clouded Leopards.

This giant Koompasia tree (Local Mengaris) a lone remnant of the original forest in Borneo   grows near the entrance to Tabin Wildlife Reserve, 2 hours drive from Lahad Datu in E. Sabah. Lahad Datu is 3 hours drive from Sandakan or a 45 minute flight from Kota Kinabalu.

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