All fig photos by Shuai LIAO taken on 8 September 2019 at the entrance to the Mesialu access road on Kinabalu. Collection #20190367.
Note how hairy this fig is in all parts, the leaves, the twigs and including the figs both internally and externally.
The 1961 Royal Society’s Kinabalu Expedition led by fig expert Professor E.J.H Corner was based at Mesilau and explored the East Ridge of Kinabalu above Mesilau.
Corner found the tracks of deer, wild cattle (banteng), wild pig and Sumatran Rhinos on a ridge top trail at 3,050 m asl. Rhinos are now extinct on Kinabalu but there is much evidence that they were common in the past, right up to the tree line. Sumatran Rhinos feed on “browse” woody twigs and leaves and fruit when they can get it. Experience at the BORA rhino fig garden at Tabin indicates that Sumatran Rhinos are especially fond of the leaves and fruit of fig trees especially the very hairy species in Section Eriosycea which are too rough and hairy for other animals to eat.
All the evidence indicates that the Borneo endemic fig Ficus eumorpha evolved as a rhino specialist fig targeted to be dispersed by rhinos which enjoy eating very hairy figs which are not eaten by other animals.
See also this article about the diet of the Javan Rhino.
