Babyrousa togeanensis

Habitat. Babirusas generally inhabit tropical rainforest on the banks of rivers and ponds abounding in water plants. The natural vegetation on the Togian Islands consists of wet forests of variable types, frequently differing from one island to another, and ranging from monsoon to evergreen. B. togeanensis has also been sighted in mixed gardens, regrowing scrub on former slash-and-burn cultivation fields, secondary forest, village edges, freshwater swamps, and beaches. On Malenge and Kadidiri Islands, the species is most frequently seen moving through coconut plantations.

Sumber: Suidae

Movements, Home range and Social organization. In interviews, 37 % of the respondents mentioned that B. togeanensis is a solitary animal, whereas 29 - 6 % of those questioned reported that the species is gregarious, usually seen in groups composed of one adult pair with a litter. Group sizes of more than five individuals were reported by 29 - 5 % of the respondents; these groups typically were composed of an adult male with multiple females and a litter.

Sumber: Suidae

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List because its extent of occurrence is less than 5000 km?, its distribution is severely fragmented, there is continuing decline in the extent and quality ofits habitat, its population is estimated to number fewer than 2500 mature individuals, a continuing decline in the number of mature individuals has been observed, and no subpopulation contains more than 250 mature individuals. Babirusas on the Togian Islands are susceptible to habitat loss due to forest clearance and forestfires, to disturbance by humans, and to predation by dogs. They are occasionally hunted by the local people if perceived as a threat to crops. Hunting for food occurs only in a few non-Muslim village communities. In 1998, two thirds of Malenge Island’s forest was damaged by fire. No large animal carcasses were found and babirusas have been seen in several of these localities since, but the fire may have impacted food availability for the species. In 1978, the babirusa population on the Togian Islands was estimated in the region of 500 - 1000 individuals. Recent estimates place the upper limit of population size at about 500. Local residents questioned recently did not agree on population size, giving ranges from fewer than 100 to more than 1000, but the interview surveys did suggest that at least between 1995 and 2000 there had not been a sharp population decline.