Facts About The Babirusa

Babirusa is a Malagasy word that means pig- deer, these are members of the pig family that are found in the swampy rainforest of Indonesian Islands. They have barrel shaped and hairless bodies with soft deer-like legs. Their color can either be gray or brownish.The male’s canine teeth continue to grow as long as they have a continuous blood supply. They are four species of Babirusa and the most popular of them all is the North Sulawesi Babirusa because of its fascinating upper tusk that is only possessed by the male Babirusa. Babyrousa Celebensis is also a common species famous for its monster curving tusks and it is found in Sulawesi. These tusks are fragile and easily break under pressure, the real function of their tusks remain a mystery.They are omnivorous hence can feed on leaves, fruits or on small mammals. Their hooves helps them dig on the ground in search of larvae or roots, while their Hide feet helps them to stand as they reach for leaves on high plants. The Babirusa have unique features that distinguishes them from other pigs especially their two chambered stomach which resemble that of a ruminant digestive system than of a pig.The female Babirusa move and live in groups while their male counterparts can live alone or in a small group of two to three. They begin to mate from the month of January until August and their gestation period is around 155 to 158 days and will give birth to either one or two Baby Babirusa. Baby Babirusa grows very fast, with a ten days old young one trying out solid foods and they are nursed to about six to eight months. Their environment is mostly predator-free with human as their main threat. By the age of two to three years, baby Babirusa is already sexually mature.