North Sulawesi Babirusa Piglets Make First Visits to Habitat
June 14, 2022
MELBOURNE, Fla., June 14, 2022 — Brevard Zoo welcomed not one, but two north Sulawesi babirusa piglets on May 18! The offspring were born to 6-year-old mom Piggy and dad Meru. Although we are unsure of their sexes at this time, animal care staff note that both babies appear healthy and alert.
The twins are the second and third offspring born to Meru and Piggy. Back in August of 2018, the pair welcomed male Java, who lived with us until January of this year, when he was transferred to another facility so that his parents could have the opportunity to breed again.
While every Zoo birth is celebrated, this one is extra special for us as these two piglets add to the population of this vulnerable species. North Sulawesi babirusas, found in forests on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, are deemed vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to habitat loss and human hunting.
The babirusa piglets have taken their first venture into one of their public-facing habitats under the watchful eyes of Piggy and their animal care team. They'll continue making short trips into their habitat under the discretion of their animal care team for now. As the little family gets more comfortable, expect them to enjoy longer visits to those public-facing habitats in the future.