Behavioral feeding strategy of frugivorous civets in a Bornean rainforest

摘要: We compared feeding behavior of frugivorous civets with those other sympatric frugivores in a Bornean rainforest. For each frugivore residing 3 different species fig trees ( Ficus variegata , F. fistulosa and benjamina ), we recorded temporal visitation patterns, length, time spent searching for fruit spanning 1,758h observations. The were strict nocturnal visitors, whereas the 5 diurnal visitors. Civets visited until 51, 26, 0.3 days before end fruiting, respectively, 84.5, 32, 1.2 fruiting. foraged longer at visit (119.17, 109.37, 97.77min, respectively) than did (39.88, 17.06, 40.2min). Civet search times (62.61, 27.55, 18.9s) (34.34, 12.46, 9.49s), civet duration significantly increased over time. Our results indicate that nocturnality is most important factor avoiding contest competition larger frugivores, thus enabling long visits patches although decreased efficiency. Long foraging would be advantageous fruit-deficient environments may compensate their morpho-physiological disadvantages frugivory.