Seed dispersal studies first emerged in the 1970s and came to the forefront with the publication of pivotal theories by Daniel Janzen and Joseph Connell. In the next 10 years, studies surged, and to discuss the findings from these studies, the First International Symposium on Frugivores and Seed dispersal took place in Mexico in 1985. This year marks the 7th edition of the Frugivores and Seed Dispersal Symposium, held between March 2nd – 6th, 2020, within the Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, India.

As part of the symposium, we curated a digital exhibition on frugivory and seed dispersal. We put out a call for images in the month of January, and were thoroughly overwhelmed by your response. Finally, 120 images of birds, rodents and primates feeding on fruits and seed dispersal, in general, were exhibited at the symposium.

Here, we are sharing 20 of our favourite images, as a thank you to all of you who contributed your valuable work. Scroll down to see some of the world's prettiest frugivores in action.


Ranjan Bankhele

Narcondam Hornbill (Rhyticeros narcondami) feeding on Ficus rumphii in Narcondam Island
Narcondam Hornbill (Rhyticeros narcondami) feeding on Ficus rumphii in Narcondam Island

Vignesh Thangaraj

Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) with a Myristica dactyloides fruit in Valparai
Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) with a Myristica dactyloides fruit in Valparai, Tamil Nadu

Debashis Banerjee

Rufous-necked Hornbill (Aceros nipalensis) in Latpanchar, West Bengal
Rufous-necked Hornbill (Aceros nipalensis) in Latpanchar, West Bengal

Abir Jain

Seeds regurgitated by hornbills
Regurgitated seeds of Dysoxylum gotadhora, Dysoxylum procerum, Polyalthia simiarum, Aglaia spectabilis, Chisocheton sp. and Horsfieldia kingii in Assam

Amit Chavan

Malabar Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus) feeding on Figs
Malabar Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus) feeding on Ficus sp. in Dandeli, Karnataka

Ramshesha N

Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) in Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, Assam
Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) in Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, Assam

Senkathirvanan K

Nicobar Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis umbrosa) feeding on Jackfruit in Great Nicobar
Nicobar Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis umbrosa) feeding on Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) in Great Nicobar Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Suhas Anand

Chimpanzee feeding on a fig
Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) feeding on Ficus sp. in Uganda

Subhankar Dey

Malayan Giant Squirrel or Black Giant Squirrel in Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary
Malayan Giant Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor) in Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal

Jagandeep Singh Malhotra

Indian Giant Flying Squirrel on a gooseberry tree
Indian Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista philippensis) in Nagarahole National Park, Karnataka

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Daksha Bapat

Spotted Deer (Axis axis) in Kanha National Park
Spotted Deer (Axis axis) in Kanha National Park

Sudhir Joshi

Indian Palm Squirrel feeding on African Tulip Tree
Indian Palm Squirrel (Funambulus palmarum) feeding on African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata) in Hulimavu Lake, Bengaluru

Aaditya Deodhar

Aaditya deodhar a - The Farmers Of Our Forests | Nature inFocus
Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala) feeding on Ficus sp., Dandeli, Karnataka

Hira Punjabi

Mountain Imperial Pigeon Ducula badia feeding on Caryota sp.
Mountain Imperial Pigeon (Ducula badia) feeding on Caryota sp. in Goa

Nirav Mehta

Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus eating a fig
Coppersmith Barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus) with Ficus sp. in Rajkot, Gujarat

Ramesh Karmakar

Malabar Parakeets Psittacula columboides in Shimoga
A pair of Malabar Parakeets (Psittacula columboides) in Shimoga, Karnataka

Ishita Das

Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum
Palm Tanager (Thraupis palmarum) feeding on wild tobacco (Nicotiana rustica) in Trinidad

Neelu Pilania

Golden-browed Chlorophonia Chlorophonia callophrys
Golden-browed Chlorophonia (Chlorophonia callophrys) in Talamanca range cloud forest, Costa Rica

Facundo Palacio

Red-rumped Cacique Cacicus haemorrhous
Red-rumped Cacique (Cacicus haemorrhous) in Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina