Figs (Ficus) are amongst the culturally most important trees in India and they are a year-round food source for several frugivores. The number of figs in the agricultural matrix is declining and this threatens the dispersal of frugivores between forest fragments. This project will examine threats to figs and frugivores in Assam (India) and explore the prospects for initiating conservation efforts in agroecosystems outside protected areas.

The project is a collaboration between academics at the University of Oxford, NGOs in Assam and naturalists from the local community. This pilot project will help form links and build local capacity for further research and long-term conservation in the region.