And this little piggy is the first born at S.A. Zoo
From multimillion-dollar expansion projects to historic funding boosts, it’s fair to say that the San Antonio Zoo had an eventful 2023.
And now the zoo is heading into the new year with a new resident: a rare babirusa piglet. First-time mother Sula and father Kreacher welcomed their baby into the world Friday night, marking the zoo’s first-ever birth of the wild pig species.
“While some may describe these little ones as ‘ugly babies,’ we can’t help but find them irresistibly adorable with their unique and unconventional charm,” Tim Morrow, CEO of the San Antonio Zoo, said in a written statement. “We can’t wait for the public to fall in love with this precious little babirusa.”
Babirusas were introduced to the zoo in 1998, captivating visitors with their distinctive curved tusks and unusual appearance. Listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, the mammals are native to the tropical forests of Indonesia and are threatened by poaching and habitat loss due to commercial logging operations.
According to the San Diego Zoo, a babirusa is often referred to as “a wild pig with a dental problem” due to its remarkable tusks, or canine teeth, that can grow right up through the skin in their snout, curving back toward their forehead.
Gestation in females can last up to 158 days, and piglets nurse for the first six to eight months of life. Unlike other pig species, they give birth to only one or two piglets in a lifetime.
“The birth of this precious baby babirusa represents a testament to San Antonio Zoo’s commitment to conservation and education,” the zoo said in a written statement. “As the first-ever babirusa birth at our zoo, it is a momentous occasion that highlights
the dedication and expertise of our animal care team.”
The zoo teased the birth announcement with a Facebook post showing Sula posing behind a positive pregnancy test. “In babirusa news … stay tuned,” the post said. It attracted more than
1,700 reactions and dozens of comments, largely from users who believed Sula was in the early stages of pregnancy instead of having gone into labor.
The baby’s gender has not been announced and a name has yet to be decided, a spokesperson
said.
“While we eagerly await the public debut of the new little one, the well-being and health of both mother and baby are our top priorities,” the zoo said. “In the coming weeks, the baby babirusa will continue to bond with its
mother and grow, ensuring a strong foundation for its future.”
Updates on the babirusa’s progress, gender and when the public can view the piglet will be posted on the zoo’s social media pages, @Sanantoniozoo, when available.