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Story summary
- Independent ecologist Jeremy Quirós-Navarro found canopy-dwelling mammals in Costa Rica's cloud forest use strangler fig trees as communal latrines, identifying 17 species including howler monkeys and wildcats.
- The study highlights the ecological significance of Ficus tuerckheimii, which provides habitat and facilitates animal interactions.
- Scientists say these latrines help predators miss waste and support ecological balance.
- Disrupting these trees could hinder communication between forest areas, affecting the broader ecosystem.
