Animal vectors may be involved in incidental transport, such as when seeds are stuck to bird feet by mud. The main animal vectors for seed dispersal are vertebrates and ants. Birds may feed extensively on fruits in both the tropics and in temperate regions. Large fruits are often stripped of their pulp and the seed is discarded. Smaller fruits may be swallowed whole and the seeds voided at a later time.
Primates are important dispersers in tropical regions.
Rodents primarily disperse non-fleshy fruits as a consequence of seed predation activities. The effectiveness of these organisms as dispersers depends upon the fate of the seeds. They may be particularly important in mast years of such trees as beech and oak. These organisms often eat the entire fruit and defacate them elsewhere. Ants are often involved in larderhoarding of seeds for the maintenance of their colonies.