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Ficus racemosa seeds predated by Zebra Doves at Tg Aru beach

uluulublog

ABOVE: Zebra Dove Geopelia striata  feeding on the seeds of fallen Ficus racemosa figs in the carpark of the Shangri la Tg Aru resort, Kota Kinabalu.

Ficus racemosa fig tree growing alone in the carpark of the Shangri La Tg Aru Resort , Kota Kinabalu.
This one fig tree fruits almost constantly with a new crop following every six weeks. The figs also ripen sequentially meaning that at any one time  there are ripe figs.
There are no other F. racemosa fig trees known within a few kilometers yet the figs are pollinated and set ripe seeds.
It is possible that this single tree is self pollinating  but this is difficult to prove.  The ripe fruit are eaten by small local fruit bats Cynopterus brachyotis but a large number  of figs  fall to the ground uneaten.
The tiny fig seeds from the fallen figs are then eaten by the locally common  Zebra Doves Geopelia striata. All the ground doves in Borneo  feed primarily on seeds not fruit and have elastic grit filled gizzards which are used to grind up the seeds.

 

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