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Visayan Warty Pig
The Visayan warty pig, Sus cebifrons, is?a critically endangered species of pig. The Visayan warty pig is endimic to two of the Visayan Islands in the central Phillipines, and is threatened by habitat loss, food shortages and hunting - these are the leading causes of the Visayan Warty Pig\\\\\\\'s status as critically endangered. Due to the small numbers of remaining Visayan Warty Pigs in the wild, little is known of their behaviors or characteristics outside of captivity.
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Visayan Warty Pig
The Visayan warty pig receives its name from the three pairs of fleshy "warts" present on the visage of the boar. Biologists speculate that the reason for the warts is to assist as a natural defense against the tusks of rival pigs during a fight. The boars also grow stiff spikey hair.
The Visayan warty pigs tend to live in groups of four to six. The diet of the pig mainly consists of roots, tubers, and fruits that can be found in the forest. They may also eat cultivated crops. Since approximately 95% of their natural habitat has been cleared by local farmers who cut down the forest to plant crops, the propensity of the pigs to eat cultivated crops has risen dramatically. Because the land that is cleared for farming is often unproductive after a few years, the food sources of the Visayan warty pig are extremely limited, a factor that has contributed significantly to the pig’s dwindling numbers.
On September 17, one of Brevard Zoo\'s warty pigs gave birth to one piglet. The female is only 8 inches in length and weighs less than two pounds. Check out the video of the juvenile pig as it will be several weeks before she comes out on exhibit.
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