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ANIMAL: |
Babirusa Babyrousa babyrussa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Type of Animal: |
Wild Pig | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Habitat: |
Rainforest, river forest, swamp forest | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Location(s): |
Indonesian islands of Sulawesi, Togian, Sula, and Buru | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Appearance: |
Boars have long upper canine tusks curving backward over front of face w/ lower canines growing in front of face. Tusks almost absent in sows. Gray coloration w/ pinkish belly on both sexes. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Food/Diet: |
Leaves, fruit, berries, roots, insect larvae, seeds, nuts, tubers, carrion, invertebrates, buds, grass, small vertebrates, eggs. Cannibalism reported on newborn piglets by adults other than mom. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Status in Wild: |
Endangered | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conservation: |
Breeding from zoos, wildlife parks & breeding centers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Lifestyle: |
Usually found in small groups consisting of 1-4 sows (always related to each other) & offspring plus a boar. Younger related boars found in small bachelor groups, nonbreeding adult boars are solitary. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Additional Info: |
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| Main predators of adults are pythons & feral dogs. Civets & occasionally, strange male babirusas, prey on piglets. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sexually mature at 10 months old. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Endangered due to logging, habitat loss, hunting for meat/sport/tusks, persecution as crop pests, and forest fires. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piglets stay w/ group for 8-10 months. Unlike other pigs, only 1 or 2 piglets born in litter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fights between boars often lead to death due to injuries inflicted by lower tusks. The upper tusks serve mostly for display. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They clatter teeth when excited & communicate by low grunts/moans. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They’re rather fast animals. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They wallow to get rid of insects/parasites. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They sharpen their lower tusks on trees. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Fun Fact(s): |
Indonesian people have based masks on Babirusa’s appearance & even give dead ones as gifts. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They’re known to be very flighty/nervous, though mothers will attack if piglets are threatened. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There’s some dispute between Jews/Muslims whether these animals are kosher or not, since it has cloven hooves & 4-chambered stomach like a ruminant but it’s a pig. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They’re also called “pig deer.” | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There’s also some dispute whether these animals are more related to pigs or to hippos. |
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Posted by Brooke on February 11, 2012 at 2:23 am
It’s related to a pig or boar right?
Posted by Daniel Silver on February 11, 2012 at 2:23 pm
Yes it is