Extremely Rare Pig Births Even Rarer Triplets
July 5, 2018 – These muddy babirusa triplets are very unusual. Babirusas are one of the world’s rarest pig species, and triplets are uncommon. The rambunctious piglets were born at the U.K.’s Chester Zoo on May 20, 2018. Wild babirusas are only found on islands in Indonesia, including Sulawesi.
The word “babirusa” in Malay means “pig deer.” “Pig deer” may refer to the pigs’ delicate legs, and to their multi-chambered stomachs—similar to those of ruminants, like deer and sheep. Like other pigs, babirusas don’t sweat—they wallow in mud to cool off.
The Babyrousa babyrussaspeciesis vulnerable to extinction, and logging contributes to habitat loss. According to the Chester Zoo, conservationists have been working with global partners to share babirusa husbandry practices, and to ensure that the genetic diversity in zoos reflects that of wild populations.
