The wild fig orchard at the Sabah Ficus Germplasm Centre at Tabin was started over 10 years ago.
The purpose was to provide steady supply of leafy food for the 3 captive Sumatran Rhinos at Tabin. The rhinos have since died, but the orchard now contains thousands of fig trees of around 90 different species, believed to be the biggest living ficus collection in the world.
After 10 years many of the fig trees are beginning to fruit which in turn attracts the local wildlife, including fruit bats, civets, mousedeer, hornbills and macaques. A recent visitor included a wild orangutan who noticed that a Ficus parietalis was fruiting and climbed over the fence to take a snack. Hopefully, this visit will be the first of many by the local orangutan population.
Thanks to Dr Zainal Zahari Zainuddin for photos and information.
