| Philippine warty pig | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Suidae |
| Genus: | Sus |
| Species: | S. philippensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Sus philippensis Nehring, 1886 | |
 | |
ThePhilippine warty pig (Sus philippensis) is one of four knownspecies in the pig genus (Sus)endemic to thePhilippines. They have tufts of hair on the top of their head and on the lower sides of their jaws, as well as four warts on their faces. Their skulls are elongated; males have tusks and bigger skulls than females, an example ofsexual dimorphism. They are consideredVulnerable by the IUCN, and their population is currently declining due to multiple threats. The pigs are probably nocturnal.
The species wasscientifically described in 1886 byAlfred Nehring. There are three recognizedsubspecies; two of which were described in the nineteenth century, and the third in 2008 based on skeletal remains.
Philippine warty pigs usually have black or dark brown fur, as well as recognizable white tufts on the side of their lower jaw (thegonion). Male pigs have four facial "warts", tusks, and gonial tufts which are larger and yellower than those of the females.[2][3]: 2 In general,Suid pig males are substantially larger and tuskier than females.[4] They also have tufts of hair on the tops of their heads, calledcrown tufts, and small "manes" on the back of their necks (but not further down their backs). Their heads are elongated and downward-sloping.[5]: 181
As with many members of the genusSus, the pigs' straightlower canines are triangular incross-section. The canines curve upwards and compromise the male pigs'tusks. In fact, the lower surface of Philippine warty pigs' canines is typically 150% greater in diameter than the posterior surface.[6][7]: 25 [8]: 21
Sus philippensis was firstscientifically described in 1886 by the German zoologistAlfred Nehring.[9]
There are three recognized subspecies of the Philippine warty pig:
The Philippine warty pig is one of four species of pigsendemic to the Philippines. The other three endemic species are theVisayan warty pig (S. cebifrons),Mindoro warty pig (S. oliveri) and thePalawan bearded pig (S. ahoenobarbus), also being rare members of the familySuidae.[10]
In general, the original distribution ofS. philippensis covered the western islands of the Philippines, while the original distribution ofS. cebifrons covered the central and eastern islands. Specifically, the range of Philippine warty pigs includedLuzon,Biliran,Samar,Leyte,Mindoro,Mindanao,Jolo,Polillo,Catanduanes, and possibly other islands.[2][11] They are known to be locally extinct fromMarinduque.[1]
Wild pigs have been reported inBohol andSibuyan, although it is unclear whether these populations areS. cebifrons orS. philippensis. In April 2022, a Philippine warty pig was documented by aDepartment of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) team while climbingMount Apo.[12]
However, its present distribution is declining and subject to severe fragmentation.[2] Moreover, it was formerly found in most habitats (from sea level to up to 2800 m) but is now confined to remote forests due tohabitat disruption andfragmentation, heavy hunting, and attacks ofAfrican swine fever, a potentially fatal viral fever.[2][11][13]: 1605 Wild pig meat in the Philippines can fetch more than twice the price ofdomestic pig meat.[2]
Usage ofcamera traps has suggested that the pigs prefer open, as opposed to canopied, habitat areas. Further evidence also suggested they do well in more open areas, near clearings or farms, and even inhabitbanana plantations.[14]: 1609
A 2022 paper noted that the pigs act as "ecosystem engineers" in that they reshape and influence their ecosystems. The pigs are known to helpdisperse seeds and influence plant growth andsoil erosion.[14]: 1606 They are mostly nocturnal animals in areas where humans have disrupted the land.[2]
Little is known about the pigs' reproduction; however, in general,Suidae have between one and twelve babies in a den, which the piglets leave after about ten days. They reach sexual maturity after around 18 months.[2][4] One generation of pigs generally spans seven years.[1]
Due to loss of its natural habitat from human disruption, the Philippine warty pigs come into close contact withdomestic pigs – the domesticated variety of the foreign Eurasian wildboar.Genetic pollution of the Philippine warty pig populations is a major problem, as ishybridization between the two species.[2][1][15]
