Visayan Warty Pig [Sus cebifrons]

Quick Facts

Size: 3 to 4 feet long; 55-90 pounds

Lifespan: 10-15 years

Color: Dark gray

Range: Philippine islands of Negros and Panay

Habitat: Rainforest

Location in the Zoo: The Islands

About Visayan Warty Pigs

The rockstar of the pig world, the male Visayan warty pig is best identified by its mane attraction – a mohawk-like tuft of hair that stretches from head to tail during the breeding season. This pig is critically endangered in the wild. Once native to six Philippine islands, wild populations are extinct on all but two.

The warty pig gets its name from the three pairs of fleshy bumps on the boar’s face. Most likely, these are a defense against the tusks of rivals during a rumble. These pigs are sparsely covered with bristly hairs and have a distinctive white stripe across the bridge of their nose. Males are larger than females. The pigs’ diet consists of plants, fruits, vines, tubers, and earthworms.

Little is known of the animal’s behavior due to the small remaining pockets of pigs in the wild. They are endangered due to habitat loss and farming.

DRAW A PIG

We are excited to partner with WQED to present WQED’s Cartoon Academy at the Zoo! Follow along with Pittsburgh cartoonist, Joe Wos, as he teaches you how to create a pig and a duck in the video below!