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Wildlife Guide · Sulawesi and nearby Indonesian islands & Wallacea — forest and wetland

Babirusa

Babyrousa babyrussa and related species — family Suidae

The pig whose upper tusks grow through the roof of its own snout.

Vulnerable — hunting and forest loss across Sulawesi
Male babirusa with upward-curving tusks piercing the top of the snout, dark sparse coat in Sulawesi forest

Image: AI-generated educational wildlife portrait — World Animal Rescue Network · AI visualisation, not a photograph

In brief

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.

By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated

Babirusas are forest pigs endemic to Wallacea — centred on Sulawesi and some neighbouring islands — and among the strangest-looking large mammals in the region. Males carry four tusks: the lower canines curve upward as in other pigs, but the upper canines grow upward and backward, piercing the skin and bone of the snout roof and curving back toward the forehead. In older males the upper tusks can loop dangerously close to the skull. They browse and root in forest and visit salt licks and wetlands. Locally they are hunted for meat; habitat loss from logging and conversion reduces forest cover across Sulawesi. Most populations are listed Vulnerable, with some island forms more threatened. The tusks that make males photogenic also make them targets.

4

Tusks in males — uppers pierce the snout roof

Vulnerable

IUCN status for most populations

Wallacea

Endemic to Sulawesi and nearby islands

Forest

Browser and rooter of understory and wetlands

Figures sourced from IUCN Red List — Babyrousa babyrussa, Arkive — babirusa ecology .

Babirusa: Quick Facts

Vital statistics and key facts about the Babirusa
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

Scientific classification of the Babirusa
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Artiodactyla
Family Suidae
Genus Babyrousa
Species Several — B. babyrussa and allied forms

Conservation Status

IUCN 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.

Did you know?

Male babirusa upper tusks grow up through the snout roof and curve back toward the forehead — sometimes approaching the skull in very old animals.

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.

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How can I help save the babirusa?

There are three practical things that make a real difference for the babirusa — and the first is the one that funds everything else.

1

Fund frontline rescue

Back the partner-led teams, veterinary care and protection that reach babirusas where the need is greatest — WARN channels donations straight to that work.

2

Ease the pressures

Avoid the wildlife trade and souvenirs, never buy wild animals as pets, and choose sustainable, habitat-friendly products — the threats behind the babirusa's decline fall when demand does.

3

Spread the word

Share accurate, sourced information about the babirusa. Wider awareness is what turns concern into lasting protection.

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Babirusa: Frequently Asked Questions

How can I help save the babirusa?
The most effective way to help the babirusa is to fund the frontline rescue and habitat protection that keeps the species alive — WARN channels donations to partner-led teams working where the need is greatest. You can also ease the pressures behind its decline by avoiding the wildlife trade and souvenirs, never buying wild animals as pets, and choosing sustainable products, and by sharing accurate information to build wider support. See the ways to help below, or support WARN's Support Habitat Protection.

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 & References

Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.

Terms used on this page

Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.

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