Seed Spitting and Seed Swallowing By Wild Orang-Utans (Pongo Pygmaeus Morion) In Sabah, Malaysia

JoURNAL oF ThoprcAl- Bromcy A\D CoNsERvrroN, 2 (l ₎ : 65-70, 2006

Res€arch article

Seed

spitting and

seed

swallowing by wild orang-utans

(pozgo pygmaeus monb) in _Sabah,

Malaysia

MartAN(RENAZ'r,IsabelhLACKI\{AN-ANCRENAZ$dHamirshELABAN

Ki

abatangan Orungutan Consenation Project, pO _{Box 3109,} 90731 Sandakaa Sabah, Malaysia

Conerpondcrce adbess: Austrul

Pait

Lorong 10, House 35 88300 Kora KiMbaIa Sabah, Matarsia

6

ARSTRACT.

Wild

orang,utans (Pona,

ptgnaeus moio) studied at

the

"KirabatangarOrang-utan Conse ation project", Sabah, Malaysia, are mainly frugivorous. They are regularly observed ro swallow large seeds (length longer than five

rnm) ftom 37 different plant genera and to spit large seeds ftom 27 plant genera. For rkee

of

these genera, we compared the time to first

germination, the germination success, the 507, gemination _time and s€€dling mortaliry

of

seeds that were spat out, swallowed or left unprocessed by orang-utans. Our results show that mean time from planting ro germination was shorter and seed germimrion rate was higher for seeds swallowed or spar than for seeds collecled f.om the parent tree for two tee species (D/ac ontomzlnn dao atld

Koo

ensinden&on ptundt

n,

both sp€cies being part of the Anacardiaceae Family). For D .ddr, gemination success was better for

seeds that were spat than swalowed, showing the potential inportance of seed-cleaning and seed-spitting by orang-utans for ce(ain rree species occuning within the natural orang- utan habitat.

INTRODUCTION

Seed swallowing has beer documented as rhe most colnmon way for seed dispersal by apgs

(Wrangham

et al.,

1994]. Chapman

&

Orderdonl, 1998; Poulsen et a1.,2001).'the process

of

seed cleaning

by

apes (i.e.

consumption and rmoval of the exocarp and of the flesh of the fruit that is found around the endocarp) is also said to provide better gemination chances to the seeds (Lamberr, 2001). Seed spitting however is conmonly

seen as playing a minor rcle _for seed dispersal.

At Kibale (Jganda), _82% of the tluit species eaten by chimpanzees were swallowed and defecated while seed spitting represented only 7% (Lambert & carber 1998).lnBomeo, Mcconkey (2000) reported se€ds of77 sp€cies in gibbon feces (i.e. 48% of fiuit species eaten) but only four types (or 2.5%) werc spat by this species. Orang-utans are described as

"gardeners o. culrivaro$ of much of their own povisions" in tlle forest (Rijkseen & Meijaard, 1999) since they have a large gut capaciry with variable gut passage time, consume targe quanrities of fruits from a wide variety

of

species, and can travel long distances in

nearly all E?es of habitats. Ar Tanjung Puring (Indonesia), nn}lalmed seeds of 23 species of plants were collected in 94% oforangutan Ke!

vo

s, Ponso Denaeus, ^seed spitling. seed

ddgub,

(crrdik^. le32) seed swalowing

lhsiol*jd.lydnpesedbyo'h3.int

sNda

(gis@, b*.

sibboE hmbills,

d)

o;ghbq

^{1901 j Ung,r,} tg93rwuld.de, rgcr).

'rhis

E!.n

inv*risares rh. pd$ibre rcle ot dms

rd sd

^dispdsd

h

$e r@ds of rhe

E@€lholosiel

dudi6 or*ild

hrbitoaed

In sabah o.,talaysiq Bom.o). acdholoeical

obsdaiios

or

eild odtdd.

^have ben codducrd

siG

193 d a 4 .q ^km inr.nsiv.

sdy:iEGll3'l7 bll3'l3 r{'N532'2.r

io 5'33 30 ) esbhlished in sEood:ry nix€d

l

^hnd diprero.rQ and

t6h lab

^swamp

leg.nerarion

(Ao euz ,, 4r.,

^2004).

a$isbob. Dah

nre couecred on diet

@npsirim, sdvny budg.r Enging paften md

scill

b.hrvid.

sp4i$

md planr

pft

bmtrghr brck ro rhe KocP ndion for

tu!\q

i&tuiricrton by pnr*sional

bohlnr iion

rhg

"s.p

ok Foren Reserrch

center'

rollo{r

Feca

*eE

plaed in cleln plAtic

bags

nd

brcoght

b,.k

^{ro rhc}

(ocP

_Fierd

sciio,.

Each

$npl.

wrs thcn

{.ish.d,

OMNo-n^N

3D sl]Tc

$a

fiE

m

loq) w6 rured,s lbsed,

ft,

common, orubundmL

ks. sd. oo'gq

duo nve

m) *ft

^exuaccd. cotrMd

od

ideotih€n

h llnu

^{level *irh rhe asnbnce}

fton borlihts lroi

rhc

s.pnok Forc*

R*mh

^c.drci

o,iy

rrse

Eds wft

^u$d

in rhis sddy (i... siz

lmsdrbdfr.m

lors) Dunng obsdnidd boub, we

ds

mllede!

s..ds

ftmlnc

roEs trmi rh,r dr

tdl oms- ubs

spa',

sd

^dpe

ftlib

Gdgimtins

rDr

In order ro

asss

n\e

ovm]l inpd

of _Cut

pft.e$iq Ydui onl presing

rrore ^oh

clanctcrisi6,

we moduded a gem'imdderpa*n.d {irh

lf c.

eds

^(more rhrn

fiE m

^{iD l.ngrh)} or

rhE 3F.i4

of nlir dta!

wclrmody mumed

by

orhs,otms d

rhe

KocP

stody sne:

pintatun

\ nacaii..ee),

^an<t

Mincot .rasin*d (rili8ce). 1@

difiemr

&€s ol lot *erc

considged:

inlrl.ndo.,rp.

cndc.rps spar by

focll

^orans

urds, dd

0d6ve

iDd

endcars

dfoib

w.E pracd in pre$ic ^polybass

rill.d

trp

frfi

ctan soil con.&d fDn a sinsle

lmnidi ii

Ite

fmsL

Tne ba$ weE *ept in

pdi,i

shrde

uidtr nxrrrr dry-r.i8rh

condliotrs 3dd

w{.

w dd $ Bd.d

Dudng oitre monrhs,

*e stc.es (cmd ie

numbtr of

eido$ipr

prcducine

sedringrnt b*

ot

end€rps

Dlanred) and the number

or s..dliias

pdtrd b, e iohiple

s.ded

hde,Jps ot

^D.

d,o

rnd M. etussilotio.

\N.

_rtsD

debdined fie

50*

_S.mimrion

rire

^(fmt

MecANdEtr'.Is{ruf,aM-A\l]Nr sdtr^HF rrrN

(200r), lar.ncy

_should

b.

consid.red

sicirlicddydif.Fmly'wofutimb

ilmi.sful

ForD ^{ara, rh.} s0%

smimrid

dm. or s{,rrdwed seeds

ocs

^{at 33 drys,}

forspar$.ds

4t days md for

fdib

!t

3l

d!yr. _shorins

r $cnifi.m

d.tay tor rruit

geminddempqEd6dft*oo1lragmtres'

nor rignificrndy iDnmc.d by rhe My

s.ds wft

plmssn by omg tr@r D d4a 03.14

tor

Fd{piftiig; 36J*

ror s..narauo{ins:

x,4.4!,

p>n.l):

r.

phnotun

156,3

^d

@ e%:

t

= ^D.52" p>n., M. c

rc

^t atot

i

d Q5.3.k md 2r.5%:

f=

^r.06,

Pn3) Fcr/dd,f@

$edrings

w.r

^prcduc.d

br iulli{eded

.ndocirys

sp

^(12?.7%) rhm svalrowed (e4.6,6), _bur lhis resox

ws

3ignincaDdy

di$erenr

^p=0

r

onty (11= 3.60,

]xt.n

conbined bgerhe4 .ndoca?s or

t

^&a &ar

e@ pres.d

by onne&n pmduftd

n@

k.dibgs .h.n fruia _00t.196 asainn 19.r%l t,= ^24.1, p{.00D

cove

.1y,I@s.edtingr

*c

^prcduc.d

wid n!i6

orM. narsiro,r,

(rr04) Llln

_wirb eDdeirys ploc*sed by

{ms uM

(23gft): _x?=72 %. p<o.00l)

.onr.ioed seed

fresfenh, showiig

rhe pornd,r

hd

pEdarorbte oI dris speies

rd .everd

^pradr5. However,

onng

u&ns svlllowed whole s..ds oi a! l.a$ 37 senen yia}lc

rdsmindion, n*iog $.fr

poleDrisl

5..d

dispen$ l& nmy re.

spei.s.

fte

hishly prchsile, iobile sd nusnt'rtip3 _or

oms uds

feilihre fmd

F@sing,

^npid

lruir

rresh

ids. ion

and

...d{piting

(cddiks,

₁₉₃₂₎ md hav. b.cn rumrioi.uy compardd

ro rhe

chaeckpouch.s

of ca!.pitEim

^(*hl*ei 19?9).

of dpsilmr

sho*€n

$ spi(iis

rnd

s*axoviig

had a

similretrdons.ed

gmiBdm

ii

ft eprsr

uhDs in !h.

loy.r Ki'sb

rngm. Anhoqh

rhc

6bl

nunbn

ofg.mid".d erdc,rpsisc

TrNccr _& Verd!, 20ot).

ud

c.urence

of

{ecdi.dour lrachi

sqoe

sr

^(ssPs).

RESUTNANDDISC'IJSSION

we observ.d thai oniq-uhns ii

xin,b@cd

conmen ftnib ot _{30 seD.m} or pr,n6

0d sp,b.dr

^{o1 27 planr}

scie6 (33J*olgeD

consnftd r& deir

tuib),

whi.n n

d.

high4r

nc

everdeu@nrd tur

ap€ sp.ci.s.

D!n'g

dre

sm

^p€do4

se

iidividurls _riv,ns at rh. KocP $udy sih

Eas{db

of#rd! ^(}usr, sddsJp, *ocalp)

3?

dfi.firgd@ olitrh s.d!

('u i@r!d.d in

ilc

30 g.n.m) w.€ idcnri{ied

il ,it r..6

(46s orgeoen coisuncd for den finib), 22

cdqa

^win\

s.ds

lonser

rhs oe cn

^Esch

tdl

^$nprc conbioe!

l ned (!

_sEndird

Deviadod)

afoe (!

r.02)

qus

of

inbr &rd

FisuE

l

shows rh. geminarion

sre$

.or

diff{d

$b or *.ds.

D

d@ and,(

prM'r@

pdu..

multi sedcd

.ndo.!qs (*id

n\e

ionb*

oIs.ds nududins lrcn oic ^1o

rbE

pcGineb anit) Thn Eobsic?r

hit

dptrins

why n

posibr.

b

ob6in more cedrdg!

rhri

the number

ot

endo.dps rhar was

Tt. erreft

^row geftimriod tuorded ror con.cbd

d

^{rh? lored} smund suffrr.n

iion

eed pfdarion or amgus adrck, or weE

fdirid

^by

rcr

ponindiod.

ftey w

e not in ou sbrisricar snrysis. rh$e Hulrs

sho'

inr

ⁿ i. rrways 1 Fobl.m ^ro coled

conftt

sds 6d

rh.!

iderlu

^rhey sho d onsimb tum

tu

rrdi6 collece!

djdrly

in rh.

k

o6;;;::

lb)

K@d.riadadon

phnoton

:e9€e3

AAA;;A

r

^{etu oc.rps sprr} mt (!=71) E swllowed ^endocarps (n=37)

r

endeaDs fiom 6uirs

(n+3)

I ddoceps

^{spar out}

(nd5)

o

swslowed endocarps (n=31)

!

^endoca,F

fton

^nuiis {n=20)

figln

1'

C.mindio

sllEgs

fd s.ds

M^rcArcMq b}llu LcM

Ax

sn ckhins

is oor

cr.rry

hdecrood, n

h6 be..

^prdposed ro Educe se.d

nonaliry

L!rcqh rhe

d€*sa

^ot fons'r

ar

^k in rh"

c4e opilhaus

ossniu'

_l'-anb.R, 2oot).

Mos ^pmbrbry, rhe

No

rr?e! of

cogod

sd-hindring Ge.d{e3rb*ins

^{d sed-}

rpiniig)

incl64

rhc rmge or

@Fnuniri*

ror

se&

ro b. dcpGird in a nicGhabibr

rhe orrd .dfplex idtracriotr

b.r*ei

^biodc

d &bioric

fabn

in

iiiridg smimrid

strc.c*

dd

rencies

j.quiar

_{rhrt rbe}

.fied

ol sch sed dispss.r sp.ci.s n cdi3idercd

$pdddy

toi

.fb

^ptdt speies

(cwoo4

r93r). Tsrins rh. r,r. of 3.:nr

*dtow.d

or sen

dt

by om8-dms

*s

^beymd

tu sop.

of

omg ftdi b f(mr

regenemrioh.

loL\esabah\l,ildlftD.plfuolmdlo rhe(ocPG!{ch sish$ r\t

woutd also like ro rhmk rhe

srM Fdctrr D.ptuo.

fdr

simrifrc

conebontion,

L sh.em,

R

cdl.r|J.

s&h.rl,

c

Kmgse,M schn$ui&i md

rhoiyfous

eviewas for

6ei. n:.fnl

suppon

vs miv.d ftm

ApeDh.ut. Bush PalmyE, Lincoh

rrl.

Pnabugh zoor,

Dkn.y

coisewarioD

Fuid, Au raliri

orssubn

Prcjec',

Abrdm

Foundariod, lVrVW, Sh,ftd

Edh

Fouodzriod, us Fish

&

Mldrife

swie, wwF

(uK-usA

Holl'd.

Mrlr$i!),

d other piva6

$un.s.

Anci.naz- {2004). o6n3-trsd /poisa (srbih,

Md.$;)

I

iEpftlriois .d n$i

ce@i

hkturN0una ttutuku cr.!iu,

c_^. &

Di. ondsdo*, oe3).

cndcpc\det.' Anunan Jak.,4l

aJ

k co

.y, K,R,

(mr. Fi:ry sd

srnov

crrdilii,

B.

oe3r). oQ4uk s

Ecd

dilp.eB

ar

ratrjlr Ptriis. cotrd Gt). rh. a.oryrhr: n, bbks,

ard

@a.fu''@n"ksue'ld

Giq4d,

N, Oeeo.

scd3.miidoi!6od bt

^{d roEnh}

hEhr:

ac(,IDlriry

sdy L'!bed, J.r.

^(r00r),

R.d.b

cd _sDeiotrs

dsP{3zi hEnab@t r'qnot ol

P n n d o t

4r,

²² t2)t t3q2o I

P,!. crrbri

_oee3).

Ewdudo!4ed(dogi4linoltldoBd Pfuc

^{&cd dbFfu]'}

i'?n:4 Jw'rl ,l

krsbb4

M. (lt9]), Mderi4

dn'4 sLdviry

*hdion. ltt o aact hvrd ot

Ibr4Jr,

cJ,

cftk

& T.B.

sdd (rdl).

scddiFdbyadlndFfu€@mm'ly

h

,r'. Djr

tusFq

cmcrc@ rolhdr o/

Rjbd, LD,

&

r, M.ird. oeel o!.

w&4ttui|.. tu,tu ot||iaoN|.

vtu de cbc oItu tuM ctuD.

h!.i.t

^.&rlr.\!rnr,@x)1}^o!b{!td 3mj'dio'InlAq,DJ.wR.su{aM,

cl]F

i

l.nr.r- s..d

aw$d

onatuerwry

Uqra

ns.

09rat Fx lcrdtua

^{ot four}

s@tin!@iLtlndi .ttun t4

wr&q Pr oeetTdedrInreslllincled nwjtt:tnaulj'. nuautua r*ta a w'.!!hu, r.w- cI cL.pDro & LJ.

cil!@! o99.l

^s..d

dirrl

^by

rM

o!ji{.'B

^ta

!?piL rd

^{nat oI Dapba!}

lvudabrrr.lll. ntl€nLoldidd

'.!gmdmdd$d.dd!0igll!,dsllod

k'|ogairfu'e'9:2,32x5'