I need help.  A friend had plum and fig trees growing on her property in Georgia.  She came home to find the leaves eaten off her fig trees and the plum trees stripped of even the smaller branches.

There are cattle across the fence from her, and cattle have been known to get on her land.  There are deer in the area, and some horses but no domestic animals are supposed to be on her property. 

Anyone with experience here?

Deer eat anything, including branches. That is a good possibility.

Does anyone have any first-hand experience with any animal that eats fig leaves?  Has anyone even HAD a fig tree eaten by any animal? 

Any number of animals will eat fruit trees such as apples, pears, plums, etc, but I've never heard of one that ate fig leaves.  Whatever it was stripped the little trees bare.


Ox

Hi OX,
i had pruple plum an ornamental does not get plums just the flowers.
Grew nice and several seasons later the leaves were getting stripped to there veins, eventually before i new it the tree was almost leafless.
A infestation of small green slugs was the culprit in my case.
Very destructive .

You know those black furry caterpillars that look like Groucho Marx's eyebrows?  I caught one of those decimating all of my figs a few weeks back.  I live in Atlanta.

Jason;
That would have been my thought except that whatever it was ate the plum tree twigs and all.  Caterpillars will eat the leaves but leave the twigs.  This was almost certainly a four legged varmint, and I am guessing deer or goat. 

My whole fig plant is gone-- including the root! It's still a small plant (close to 5 gal size) Unless someone came to my yard and stole it, the only animals I've seen around are squirrels...Would the animals eat the entire plant? so sad.

Sorry to hear that
Cattle love fig leaves (green or dry) and all tender fig shoots +figs they find on their way.
Not surprised if they eat full young potted figs.

Francisco
Portugal

If it looks dug up  maybe two legged thief.   Some one here in the Brandon area stole a Stag Leaf fern out of a person's tree.  Ah you say  little fern no big deal.  This fern was massive was hanging in tree with chains   it was approximately 5 feet across and 5 feet high.  They had to have had a large pickup truck and some strong friends.      People will dig up anything they want include really large newly planted trees ie  subdivision landscaping. I am surprised no cow prints if it was a cow.