FOR CLOUD FOREST MAMMALS, ONE TREE MAKES A GREAT POTTY.

The article focuses on the discovery of communal latrines in the canopy of strangler fig trees (Ficus tuerckheimii) in Costa Rica's cloud forests, where multiple mammal species defecate in specific tree forks. A survey of 169 trees found 11 latrines exclusively in strangler figs, with 73 percent of these trees hosting at least one latrine, suggesting a unique role for this keystone species in providing arboreal "bathrooms." Camera traps recorded diverse visitors, including porcupines, kinkajous, opossums, and capuchin monkeys, indicating these sites may serve as communication hubs through scent marking. The exact reason why only strangler figs are used remains unclear, but their branch structure and soil accumulation may create suitable platforms. This behavior highlights the multifaceted ecological importance of strangler figs as food sources, travel routes, and now communal latrines. [Extracted from the article]