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Ficus minahassae: Sun Bear dispersal

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A Bornean Sun Bear high up in a forest tree at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre   (BSBCC) at Sepilok in Sabah. The BSBCC was founded in 2008 by Wong Siew Te, a Malaysian Sun Bear researcher  who spent two years radio tracking Sun Bears at Danum Valley based at the Danum Valley Field Centre.

Wong et al (2002) Food habits of Malayan Sun bears in lowland forests of Borneo

Wong’s research showed that figs form an important staple food for Bornean Sun Bears. Sun Bears forage for fallen figs on the ground and also climb fruiting fig trees to feed in the canopy.

This specimen of Ficus minahassae was collected from Sun bear feeding sites  located by Wong Siew Te and his assistants  in the forest surrounding the Danum Valley Field Centre in Sabah. All fig photos credit to Wong Siew Te
Only one collection of Ficus minahassae  was made. This came  from the Rafflesia Trail at Danum Valley DVFC. Ficus minahassae is obviously rare at Danum because other species of figs  such as Ficus treubii were collected numerous times from Sun Bear foraging sites .

Wong Siew Te  with visitors to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre at Sepilok in Sabah
Bornean Sun Bears are omnivorous  feeding on the ground on fallen fruit, grubs and worms.
Sun Bears also climb high into the canopy to feed on all species of figs and other fruiting trees especially Lithocarpus acorns.

Google Maps: Sepilok, Sabah

 

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