Rare Visaya warthogs born at Eindhoven Zoo

Two very rare Visaya warthogs have been born at Eindhoven Zoo. Only 200 of the species still live in the wild. They are the first young of this pig species to be born in Europe this year.

The two females came into the world on April 7. Mother Malaya is doing well and takes good care of her twosome. "She is an experienced mother," says caretaker Stephan Rijnen. "It's her second litter and you can see that."

Her previous cubs were born at the Belgian Zoo Planckendael. Malaya has been living at the zoo on the border of Mierlo and Nuenen since last summer.

Endangered

The Visaya warthog is a small species of boar characterized by a broad white band on the snout. They eat fruits, grasses and leaves. After a gestation period of four months, two to four young are usually born. They live to be between ten and fifteen years old.

This species of pig is found only in the Philippines, where their survival is threatened by hunting and rapidly shrinking habitat. Originally, this animal species was found on many of the islands in the Visayas, an archipelago in the Philippines. Today, they are found only on the islands of Negros and Panay.

First two of 2020

In European zoos, 158 of this species still live - including these two latest acquisitions. Eindhoven Zoo, along with Blijdorp Zoo, is the only place in the Netherlands where they can be seen.

In the past 12 months, only 11 cubs have been born in Europe. The two sisters in Eindhoven Zoo are the first two this year.