Sus cebifrons
The Visayan warty pig is native to forests of six of the Visayan Islands in the Republic of the Philippines. It has become extinct on four of those islands. Today, the Visayan warty pig is endangered due to loss of habitat as forests are burned and converted to farmland, as well as hunting and interbreeding with domesticated pigs.
Pig lingo
- Boar: male pigs
- Sow: female pigs
Did you know?
- During mating season, boars grow thick, spiky Mohawk-style manes.
- Boars have three fleshy wartlike bumps on their faces. Biologists think the bumps protect them from a rival's tusks during fights.
- This pig was not recognized as a separate species until 1993.
Visayan warty pig behavior and facts
- Visayan warty pigs travel in groups of four to five; they love to eat crops planted by humans, including vegetables, tubers, roots and fruits.
- Keepers at the zoo describe them as playful and friendly.
Status
Critically endangered
Visayan warty pigs, the Oregon Zoo and you
The Oregon Zoo's Visayan warty pigs live in the Island Pigs of Asia exhibit. They are efficient at cultivating the soil by digging into it with their snouts. Every few days they turn over all of their exhibit substrate (soil and plant material) as they forage. In the Visayan Islands, this behavior causes farmers to hunt the pigs, to prevent them from ruining crops.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has sent out an urgent appeal for zoos to implement emergency breeding programs for this endangered animal. The Oregon Zoo became the fourth zoo in the nation to help in the recovery effort.
Visayan warty pigs at the Oregon Zoo
- Samar – male
Born on Aug. 25 2002
Samar is the largest warty pig at the Oregon Zoo. - Maganda - female
Born on June 2, 2003
Maganda is the darker female of the three. - Marge – female
Born on March 21, 2005
Marge is slightly silver in color and has no tail.