By Archisha Yadav | November 06, 2024
Babirusas have been around for millions of years, diverging from pigs 26-12 million years ago. They’re even depicted in 40,000-year-old cave drawings, earning the nickname “prehistoric pigs.”
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Babirusas live only on Indonesia’s Sulawesi and nearby islands, thriving in swampy rainforests. These rare pigs aren’t found anywhere else in the world.
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Babirusas eat a variety of food, including leaves, fruit, tree bark, mushrooms, insects, fish, and small mammals, making them opportunistic feeders.
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Male babirusas have unique upper canine teeth that grow downward and curve back through the snout, resembling antlers and growing continuously like fingernails.
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The purpose of these tusks isn’t clear. Scientists once thought they were for fighting, but males box on hind legs instead. The tusks may attract mates, but this is unproven.
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With a two-chambered stomach similar to a sheep’s, babirusas can stand on hind legs to forage for fruit and leaves. Unlike other pigs, they have weak snouts and can’t dig through hard ground.
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There are three living species of babirusa: the North Sulawesi babirusa, Buru babirusa, and the hairless Togian babirusa, each adapted to specific islands.
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Rising sea levels after the last ice age may have isolated babirusas on Sulawesi, leading to their distinct evolution separate from other pig species.
Image: Canva