On 23 April 2023 a strong storm blew a large Ficus subcordata off a host dipterocarp tree next to the main trail at Tawau Hills Park.
The photo above shows Shavez Cheema standing on the fallen branches of the F. subcordata exactly 4 months later.
The photos below show that despite the fall which smashed the fig tree to pieces and resulted in the death of all the original leaves the tree remained alive with abundant latex in the branches and new shoots appearing all over the apparently lifeless branches.
It will be interesting to see if this fig manages to survive on the forest floor.
Both barking deer and sambar deer occur at Tawau Hills. Camera trapping records from WWF and 1Stop Borneo show that Tawau Hills has one of the highest densities of Barking deer (both Yellow and Red Muntjac) of any site in Borneo. Barking deer eat both the fallen fruit and the leaves of Ficus subcordata , and it may be that despite surviving the fall this Ficus subcordata will be eaten to death by the local deer.
All photos and information thanks to Shavez Cheema, Chun Xing WONG and Yulinda Wahyuni of 1 Stop Borneo Wildlife
