Babirusa

The Babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) is the last remaining species in the Babyrousinae family. Literally translated from the Malay language, Babirusa means “pig-deer”. Because of their odd appearance, the Babirusa has been the subject of many mystical stories and legends, including one that states that they hang from trees at night by their tusks. The Babirusa is currently listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and there are estimated to be about 4000 of these animals currently living in the wild.

The Babirusa is found on the isolated Indonesian islands of Sula, Sulawesi, and Togian, and they also can be found in the Moluccas on the Buru Island. They are most often found near rivers in forests and rainforests and will build nests out of straw. They are most active early in the morning and often travel in small groups with usually not more than eight animals grouped together. When foraging, they move along the same paths, worn down by years of travel. They also have been known to swim and will sometimes swim far distances to reach small islands and outcroppings.

The Babirusa, at least physically, most closely resembles a pig. They can grow to a shoulder height of about 26-31 inches (65-80 cm) high, a length of 3.5 feet (1.1 meters), and a weight of up to 220 pounds (100 kg). They have rough, wrinkled skin that is brown or dark gray in color with scattered, spiny yellowish hairs. Unlike a common pig, however, they have fairly long, thin legs. Their most distinguishing features, however, are the tusks. These grow from the snout area, but, unlike traditional tusks, they grow through the skin of the snout from the mouth, curving backwards over the eyes. They are rather large and can grow to reach a length of 12.4 inches (31 cm) in the males and are used to lock up a rival male’s tusks while fighting. The females also have these tusks, but they are much smaller, and they meet between the eyes. There are also lower tusks, which are much smaller and used more as a weapon when fighting.

Interesting Fact: Indonesian people have based masks on the Babirusa’s appearance and have been known to give a dead Babirusa as a gift.

The Babirusa is omnivorous, but it most often will eat fruits and nuts, only eating insects and their larvae as the primary source of meat. They appear to be very fond of mangoes but will settle for mushrooms and leaves. Because of the placement of their tusks, they don’t root under the dirt for their food like other pigs.

Sexual maturity in the Babirusa usually happens at one to two years of age. Births usually happen in the early months of the year after a gestational period of 150-157 days. Babies are usually born by twos or threes, and they are nursed continuously for six to eight months. They will, however, start eating solid foods at only 3-10 days old, even though they continue to nurse for many months. In the wild, they can live up to 24 years.

The male Babirusa will use trees to sharpen their lower tusks, but do not do the same for the upper, curved tusks. Babirusa will also wallow in the mud like other pigs to get rid of parasites and insects on their skin. They communicate with grunts and moans. There still seems to be some debate as to whether the Babirusa is more closely related to the pig or the hippopotamus. They physically resemble pigs, but fossil records show that they may, indeed, be in the hippopotamus family.