Lesser Treeshrew pollinating Torch Ginger at Ba Kelalan, Sarawak

Lesser Treeshrew Tupaia minor  photographed by Andy Paul at Ba Kelalalan  c. 3450 feet  (1,050 m) asl in the hills of NE Sarawak.

Ba Kelalan adjoins the Pulong Tau National Park.  Pulong Tau includes Gunung Murud, (2423 m), Borneo’s second highest mountain after Kinabalu.

Photos by Andy Paul and Maureen Saban.

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Lesser Treeshrews  feed on insects, fruit and nectar.

Etlingera gingers are normally pollinated by spiderhunter birds with very long beaks. The tongue of this treeshrew is not long enough to reach the nectar deep within the flower head but it is possible that the treeshrew  is feeding on the fleshy yellow tips of the petals. When feeding on the petals the treeshrew’s nose may be covered in pollen  which would later be transferred to a different flowehead.  This would indicate that the fleshy petals aid the pollination of Etlingera gingers by treeshrews and possibly rats and squirrels as well.