Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo - Animal Fact Sheet


Visayan Warty Pig (Sus cebifrons)
Range:	Two of the Visayan Islands in the central Philippines.
Habitat:	Dense Forests.
Diet:	Roots, tubers, and fruits.
Status:	Critically endangered (IUCN).
Approx. Dimensions of Adult:	N/A
Lifespan:	7-21 years.
Reproduction:	Visayan warty pig piglets are often seen during the dry season between the months of January and March in their native habitat of the western Visayan Islands. The mean number of piglets is three to four per litter.
The Visayan warty pig receives its name from the three pairs of fleshy "warts" present on the visage of the boar. Biologists speculate that the reason for the warts is to assist as a natural defense against the tusks of rival pigs during a fight. The boars also grow stiff spikey hair The Visayan warty pigs tend to live in groups of four to six. Since approximately 95% of their natural habitat has been cleared by local farmers who cut down the forest to plant crops, the propensity of the pigs to eat cultivated crops has risen dramatically. Because the land that is cleared for farming is often unproductive after a few years, the food sources of the Visayan warty pig are extremely limited, a factor that has contributed significantly to the pig's dwindling numbers.