As at 13 June 2025 this giant Ficus dubia (Ficus lindsayana) at Tawau Hills Park in Malaysian Borneo has been fruiting for 3 days.
A decision was made to camera trap the leafy base of the strangler 50 m up in the canopy, to see what animals would be attracted by the ripe figs.
Note the pale smooth drop down (aerial) root of Ficus dubia on the left and the thick brown bark of a dead dipterocarp host tree on the right.
The camera traps were fixed to the fig branches by expert local professional tree climbers Masliadi Bin Asri aka Roy, Adzley Madran and 1Stop Borneo support staff Abritus, supported by ground staff Axl, Wei Li, Yulinda and Chun..
When the climbers reached the base of the fig branches high in the canopy ,they found 3 piles of Binturong dung laid out on a mass of epiphytes at the base of the fig branches.
See photos below.
Typically Binturong wipe their sticky bottoms by pasting their dung onto a mat of leafy epiphytes once they have finished feeding, typically one dump per day, thereby sowing the seeds of a sky fig garden for the future benefit of their offspring and the fig eating wildlife of Tawau Hills Park.
Thanks to Sabah Parks staff Rimi Repin, Vanielle Justine, and Mr Jolumin for help and support and Shavez Cheema and all the hard working staff of 1Stop Borneo Wildlife for information and photos.
