Wilpattu National Park sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) palu fruit foraging: dry-zone seasonal diet?

The dry-zone forests of Wilpattu National Park feature dense stands of Palu trees (Manilkara hexandra) and Weera (Drypetes sepiaria). Between July and August, these trees undergo synchronous fruiting, dropping thousands of sweet, sticky yellow Palu berries across sandy forest tracks. This seasonal mast fruiting triggers heavy nocturnal and early morning foraging activity among Sri Lankan Sloth Bears (Melursus ursinus inornatus). Bears crunch through fallen fruit using specialized inoperable upper incisors, often grunting loudly while vacuuming up fruit with their mobile, protractile lips.