Where is the babirusa from?
of Sulawesi
Babirusas live in the Indonesian archipelago, primarily on the island of Sulawesi. They can be found in moist, swampy forests and in the lush thickets of tropical rainforests.
How long does a babirusa live for?
They are more precocial than the young of other suids, beginning to eat solid food 3-10 days after birth; weaned at 6-8 months. Young attain sexual maturity at 1-2 years. In captivity, babirusa have lived up to 24 years.
What does a babirusa look like?
Babirusas have barrel-shaped bodies with deer-like legs and bristly skin. They are a dull gray or brownish in color and appear naked or hairless. They are about 2 feet tall and 3 feet long and can weigh over 200 pounds.
How many babirusa are left in the world?
Babirusa pigs are currently regarded as Vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature or IUCN Red List. There are about 10,000 of them left in the wild forest habitat. They are mainly hunted because of their wonderful upper tusks and lower tusks.
Can you eat a babirusa?
Hogs are considered forbidden food in Jewish law because the animal does not chew a cud. Speculation about the pig being kosher was stirred after the Agency for International Development said in its quarterly publication, Horizons, that the babirusa has two stomachs and eats leaves as well as roots, berries and grubs.
Why is the babirusa important?
The north Sulawesi babirusa is most famous for its amazing tusks, which only the males possess. The tusks can reach lengths of 17 inches and can actually grow back into the skull.
How do babirusa eat?
Babirusas eat almost everything. Babirusas use their hooves to dig for roots and insect larvae in the ground and are also able to support themselves on their two back feet to stand up and feed on higher leaves.
What is North Sulawesi babirusa?
The North Sulawesi babirusa ( Babyrousa celebensis) is a pig-like animal native to Sulawesi and some nearby islands ( Lembeh, Buton and Muna) in Indonesia. It has two pairs of large tusks composed of enlarged canine teeth.
Where do babirusa live in Indonesia?
Two babirusas fighting in Indonesia. Babirusa are native to Sulawesi, some of the Togian Islands, the Sula Islands and Buru. In Sulawesi, they range from the northern peninsula to the south and south east provinces.
Is babirusa beruensis extinct?
B. babyrussa beruensis was described as an extinct, Pleistocene subspecies from southwestern Sulawesi before babirusas were split into multiple species. Skull of a male North Sulawesi babirusa (37 cm long). Babirusa are notable for the long upper canines in the males.
What is the Buru babirusa?
The Buru babirusa ( Babyrousa babyrussa) is a wild pig -like animal native to the Indonesian islands of Buru, the two Sula Islands of Mangole and Taliabu. It is also known as the Moluccan babirusa, golden babirusa or hairy babirusa.