Javan warty pig facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Javan warty pig |
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Sus
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verrucosus
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| Range map of Javan warty pig | |
The Javan warty pig (Sus verrucosus), also known as the Javan wild pig, is a special type of even-toed ungulate. This means it's a mammal with hooves that have an even number of toes, like pigs, deer, and cows. It belongs to the Suidae family, which includes all pigs. These pigs live only on the Indonesian islands of Java and Bawean. Sadly, they are no longer found on the island of Madura. Since 1996, the IUCN Red List has listed the Javan warty pig as Endangered. This means it's at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
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What Does the Javan Warty Pig Look Like?
The Javan warty pig is mostly black. It has some reddish-brown (called rufous) areas on its head and belly. A cool thing about these pigs is their facial warts! They have three pairs of them.
- The biggest pair is found below their ears.
- Another pair is located under each eye.
- The smallest pair sits above their upper canine teeth.
These warts grow bigger as the pig gets older. Males are much larger than females. A male pig can weigh about 108.2 kg (238.5 lb). Females are smaller, weighing around 44 kg (97 lb). This makes the Javan warty pig the biggest pig species on the island of Java.
The pig also has a mane, which is a crest of hair. This mane runs along its neck (nuchal) and back (dorsal). It gets shorter as it goes towards the tail. Unlike some other pigs, its tail does not have a tuft of hair at the end. Young piglets are all one color.
Where Do Javan Warty Pigs Live?
Javan warty pigs live in specific protected areas. You can find them in the Leuweung Sancang Nature Reserve and Meru Betiri National Park in southern Java. They also live in the Nusakambangan Nature Reserve on Nusa Kambangan island. Another home for them is a protected area on Bawean island.
These pigs prefer to live in places that are not too high up. They are found at elevations below 800 meters (2,600 feet). Their favorite homes are grasslands and secondary forests. Secondary forests are forests that have grown back after being cut down.
How Do Javan Warty Pigs Behave?
Javan warty pigs usually like to be alone. They are mostly solitary animals. However, sometimes you might see small groups of three or four pigs together. These pigs are active mainly at night (nocturnal) or during twilight hours (crepuscular). Twilight is the time just before sunrise and just after sunset.
When a Javan warty pig gets scared, its mane stands straight up. If it's running away from a predator, its tail will stand up straight and curve towards its body. If a group of pigs gets frightened, they make a loud, shrill whistle sound to warn each other.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Scientists believe that Javan warty pigs mate between September and December. After mating, the mother pig is pregnant for about four months. The baby piglets are born in a special nest. They stay with their mother and drink her milk for three to four months.
On average, these pigs live for about eight years in the wild. Some pigs that live in zoos have lived much longer, up to 14 years!
It's hard to study how these pigs mate in the wild. An old record from the 1940s said that a mother pig could have between three and nine piglets. These piglets were usually born between January and March. More recently, between 2003 and 2005, Javan warty pigs in Surabaya Zoo had litters of two to four piglets. These zoo piglets were born between March and August.
Why Are Javan Warty Pigs Endangered?
The Javan warty pig is in serious trouble. In 1988, it was first listed as vulnerable. Then, in 1996, it became endangered. This means its population is shrinking very quickly. From 1982 to 2006, the number of Javan warty pigs dropped by a huge 53%! Experts believe their numbers are still going down. A recent study estimated there are only about 172 to 377 of these pigs left. This makes them one of the rarest pig species in the world.
The biggest threat to these pigs is humans moving into their habitat.
- Habitat Loss: As more people move into the areas where the pigs live, their homes are destroyed.
- Agriculture: Farmers often clear land for crops. This takes away the pigs' natural habitat.
- Hunting: Farmers sometimes kill pigs that raid their crops at night. Also, some hunters see these large pigs as a challenge and hunt them for sport.
There's also a natural threat from another pig species. The banded pig (Sus scrofa vittatus) is a close relative of the Javan warty pig. They live in similar areas. The banded pig competes with the Javan warty pig for food and resources. Even more, these two species can cross-mate. This means they can have babies together, creating hybrid pigs. This makes it harder for the pure Javan warty pig species to survive.
How Are People Helping Javan Warty Pigs?
Many people are working hard to save the Javan warty pig. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums has a special project. They aim to catch healthy Javan warty pigs and breed them safely in zoos. The baby pigs born in these programs will then be released back into protected areas. This plan hopes to make sure the species survives for a long time.
One challenge is finding true Javan warty pigs, not hybrids. So, another goal of the program is "molecular mapping." Scientists will take DNA from wild pigs. They will record their genetic code to tell the difference between pure Javan warty pigs and hybrids.
Along with this project, there are plans to teach local people about these pigs. They want to explain why the pigs are important and why they are endangered. Locals sometimes can't tell the difference between the banded pig and the Javan warty pig. Education can help reduce this confusion and encourage everyone to protect these special animals.
