Visayan Warty Pig
Philippine Islands of Negro and Panay
Body Length: up to 42 inches
Shoulder Height: 11-15 inches
Weight: up to 80 pounds
Wild: Omnivorous – prefers fruit, but also eats shoots, leaves, small mammals, fish and birds
Zoo: Produce, biscuits and treats like peanut butter and jelly
Gestation: 118 days
Litter size: 3-4 piglets
These smallish pigs have bristly silver to black hair on their bodies. Both sexes have a pronounced white stripe across the snout.
About the Animal: Warty Pigs are named for the distinct pairs of ‘warts’ found on the face of the male (or ‘boar’). These fleshy bumps are thought to protect the face during fights for mating rights to females. Males also sport a stiff, bristly mohawk during mating season. When alarmed, the hair will stand upright, making the animal appear much larger and more threatening.
Recognized as a separate species as recently as 1993, the Visayan Warty Pig was almost immediately listed as a critically endangered species. Found on only 2 islands in the Philippine Archipelago, and confined to the remaining 2-3% of rainforest still found there, their numbers are few.
Like all pigs, they tend to root around in the soil looking for tubers, fruits, insects, earthworms and other tasty treats. Unfortunately, they tend to really enjoy cultivated crops and will quickly uproot a farmer’s field. This habit has led to many a pig being killed for destroying a food source for the poor inhabitants of the islands.
Despite the fact that every year more and more forest is destroyed, the future for these animals is hopeful. They breed easily in captivity and are finding homes in AZA institutions. Capron Park Zoo is the 6th AZA institution in the US to hold these critically endangered pigs.
Mating and Reproduction: Researchers and native people report that piglets are most often seen during the dry season between January and March. All other reproductive information is largely unknown for this species.
Because the Visayan Warty Pig is so rare, scientists have a difficult time studying them in the wild.