VISAYAN WARTY PIG
Sus cebifrons
The king of cool, the Visayan Warty Pig is unmistakable; the males sport a haircut more befitting of a 90’s boy band. These little pigs, weigh up to a maximum of 40 kilograms and have a body length of around 1 metre. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the come from the Visayan Islands (the central archipelago of the Philippines), where they live in areas of fragmented rainforest.
Breeding
Shrouded in mystery, very little is known about the Visayan Warty Pig’s behaviour in the wild. They are, however, usually found in groups of around five individuals. Piglets are born in the dry season, which extends from January through to March. The sow gives birth to a small litter, usually of between one and three little piglets, with the young having notably slow growth.
Threats
Listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List; the Visayan Warty Pig is in big trouble. Often referred to as ‘the world’s rarest pig’, these little fellows have seen a precipitous decline in their numbers. The decline is down to a number of contributing factors, including; illegal hunting, persecution, deforestation and interbreeding with domestic pigs.
