# Babirusa — Facts, Threats & Conservation *Babyrousa babyrussa and related species — family Suidae* > Babirusas are forest pigs of Sulawesi and Wallacea whose males grow upper canines that pierce the snout roof and curve upward; they are listed Vulnerable, threatened by hunting and forest loss. **IUCN status:** Vulnerable — hunting and forest loss across Sulawesi · **WARN range:** Sulawesi and nearby Indonesian islands, Wallacea — forest and wetland ## Quick facts | Fact | Value | | --- | --- | | Tusks | Upper canines pierce snout roof in males | | Family | Suidae — forest pigs | | Range | Sulawesi and Wallacea | | Diet | Leaves, fruit, fungi, roots | | IUCN status | Vulnerable | | Main threats | Hunting; forest conversion | ## Scientific classification - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Artiodactyla - **Family:** Suidae - **Genus:** Babyrousa - **Species:** Several — B. babyrussa and allied forms ## Conservation status - **Status:** Vulnerable - **Population:** Unknown — inferred declining - **Trend:** Decreasing - **Assessed:** 2016 - **CITES:** Appendix I - Hunting and forest loss across Sulawesi continue. Island-specific populations may face sharper pressure than the genus-wide listing suggests. ## Key facts: Babirusa - Male babirusas grow upper canines that pierce the skin and bone of the snout roof and curve back toward the forehead. - They are forest pigs in the family Suidae, endemic to Sulawesi and parts of Wallacea — not closely related to deer despite the tusk display. - Most populations are listed Vulnerable, declining from hunting and forest loss. - Babirusas browse leaves, fruit and fungi and root in soil; they also visit volcanic salt licks. - Tusk form varies by species and age; extreme upper tusk growth can interfere with feeding in very old males. - Forest conversion and hunting pressure on Sulawesi affect babirusas across the same landscapes as anoa and crested macaques. ## Tusks through the snout In male babirusas the upper canine teeth do not stop at the lip. They grow upward, pierce the maxillary bone and skin of the snout roof, and curve backward — sometimes toward the forehead or eye region in very old animals. Lower canines also elongate and curve upward but remain outside the snout. The function is partly sexual display and combat between males rather than predation — babirusas eat vegetable matter. Fights with interlocking upper tusks occur, and extreme tusk growth may become a handicap if curves interfere with vision or feeding. Females lack the dramatic upper tusk development. ## Forest pig of Wallacea Babirusas inhabit rainforest, riverine forest and wetland edges on Sulawesi and some satellite islands. They are more arboreal than domestic pigs in habit — older accounts describe them resting in tree forks, though they are not specialist climbers. Diet includes leaves, fruit, fungi and roots uncovered by rooting. Wallacea holds several babirusa species or subspecies split across islands. Sulawesi's complex shape isolated populations that differ in tusk form and coat. All share vulnerability to the same island-wide pressures: hunting and deforestation. ## Hunting and habitat loss Babirusa meat is valued locally, and tusks enter ornamental trade. Snares and guns take animals from forest that is simultaneously being logged or converted to agriculture and plantations. Populations decline faster in accessible lowland forest than in steep interior ranges, but even remote areas face hunting when roads advance. The Vulnerable listing covers the most widespread forms; rarer island populations may qualify for higher threat categories. Survey data are incomplete, which is typical for Sulawesi forest mammals — absence of records often reflects inaccessibility rather than security. ## Shared fate on Sulawesi Babirusas share Sulawesi with anoa, crested macaques and tarsiers — a set of endemic mammals losing forest on the same island. Protection of one species without controlling hunting and conversion across the landscape fails all of them. Forest blocks that enforce hunting bans and maintain understory and water sources benefit babirusas directly. Without that, populations retreat into shrinking fragments where inbreeding and local extinction follow. The tusks that attract photographers are the same features that attract hunters. ## What WARN does WARN publishes free, sourced species education for Wallacea endemics. Babirusas are widely shared for their tusks, but the conservation reality on Sulawesi is hunting and forest conversion — the same pressures affecting anoa and crested macaques on the same island. If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries. ## Frequently asked questions: Babirusa ### Why do babirusa tusks go through the snout? Upper canine teeth in males grow upward and pierce the skin and bone of the snout roof, curving back toward the forehead. They function in display and male combat rather than for catching prey. ### What is a babirusa? A forest pig endemic to Sulawesi and parts of Wallacea, in the family Suidae. Males carry four elongated tusks; upper tusks pierce the snout roof. ### Are babirusas endangered? Most populations are listed Vulnerable, with declines from hunting and forest loss. Some island forms may be more threatened than the widespread listing implies. ### What do babirusas eat? Leaves, fruit, fungi and roots — they browse and root in forest and visit salt licks. They are not carnivores despite the prominent tusks. ### Where do babirusas live? Rainforest and wetland forest on Sulawesi and nearby Indonesian islands in Wallacea. They require intact forest with water and are lost when forest is cleared or heavily hunted. ### Can babirusa tusks hurt the animal? In very old males, upper tusks that curve back toward the skull can interfere with feeding or vision. Most males survive with tusks intact, but extreme growth can become a handicap. ### Are babirusas dangerous? In older males the upper tusks can loop dangerously close to the skull. Give wild babirusas space; do not corner or handle them. ### How long do babirusas live? A precise wild lifespan for babirusas is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. Babirusas are forest pigs of Sulawesi and Wallacea whose males grow upper canines that pierce the snout roof and curve upward; they are listed Vulnerable, threatened by hunting and forest loss. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive. ### How big is a babirusa? Babirusas are forest pigs of Sulawesi and Wallacea whose males grow upper canines that pierce the snout roof and curve upward; they are listed Vulnerable, threatened by hunting and forest loss. ## Sources - [IUCN Red List — Babyrousa babyrussa](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/2461/44151744) - [Arkive — babirusa ecology](https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/babirusa) --- Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/babirusa