Shavez Cheema pointing to a  a pair of fruiting Ficus dubia strangling figs  growing next to the Bambangan dormitory at the Maliau Basin Sudy Centre in central Sabah.

Photos and information provided by Shavez Cheema and Chun Xing WONG of 1Stop Borneo Wildlife.

I have named Ficus dubia  as Rajah Ara  or Kings of the Figs for two good reasons.

  1. Ficus dubia produces  one of the largest and most  attractive strangling fig fruits and
  2. The ripe figs attract a spectacular array of rare fig eating birds and mammals.

When this pair of Ficus dubia fig trees were were fruiting in May 2021  the animals that came to feed on the figs included;

Red Langur

Gibbons

Binturong

Sambar deer

Helmeted Hornbill

Rhinoceros Hornbill

Black Hornbill

Large Green Pigeons

Crested Fireback Pheasants