Ficus callophylla is an uncommon forest hemi-epiphytic strangler with a wide distribution from Thailand to Java and Sulawesi. In Borneo F. callophylla is most common in the peat swamp forests of Brunei and Sarawak.
All photos were taken by Martyn Sidwell of a binturong feeding in a fruiting Ficus callophylla at Deramakot Forest Reserve, Sabah in May 2017.
Binturongs are fig specialists which prefer to eat figs above all other fruits. Research by Miyabi Nakabayashi found that they eat all types of figs including bat figs that ripen green but are most often seen in fruiting strangling figs where they feed night and day until the crop is exhausted. A typical strangling fig crop may last from one to 3 weeks. In between feeding bouts, Binturongs typically rest by lying along a branch with legs hanging down as shown in the photo above.Ficus callophylla can be distinguished by the relatively large plain leaves with relatively small figs that ripen white to pink to dark red/purple . The small figs are relatively flat i.e. pumpkin shaped rather than egg shaped. In comparison Ficus delosyce has small egg shaped figs that also ripen white to pink. The leaves are also much smaller than F. callophylla.
