Early Chinese awareness of the 'horned' pig (genus Babyrousa)

The adult male Babirusa (Babyrousa spp.) is recognised as a very unusual wild pig (Macdonald 2008). It is endemic to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and some neighbouring islands. The extent of its range has been decreasing for many years (Leus et al. 2016; Macdonald 2017; Macdonald & Johansson 2017). We are very fortunate that there are Pleistocene depictions of this animal, the female one of which has been dated to c. 33,400 BCE (Aubert et al. 2014). These were found on cave walls in the Southwest peninsula of Sulawesi, and highlight the historical local interest in this animal, in a region from which they subsequently have been exterminated (van Heekeren 1952, 1972)

The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies: What’s in a Name?

The veterinary school that was established in Edinburgh in 1823, almost two hundred years ago, has had an interesting and rich history. Recent studies have revealed details of some of the personalities who created its academic foundations, and these investigations have also shown that the early beginnings can be traced back to the 1600s. Other studies have given substance to the architectural structures that this school, and its neighbouring veterinary schools, took from inception. The lives and contributions of several of the main characters that played important roles in the development of this school have been sketched out and these recent studies have added to the information that was published earlier. Nevertheless, in this process of exploration, various other gaps in our appreciation of the veterinary school have begun to make themselves more obvious. For example, what the veterinary school was called by people locally, nationally and internationally really mattered to the ones who worked and studied there. This example naturally raised a further series of specific questions; how was the veterinary school referred to in the past; what events caused it to change its name; how did the school come to have the name it now bears

The Sulawesi Warty Pig (Sus celebensis)

S. celebensis is a medium sized pig which is common in north, central and eastern Sulawesi, but it is now scarce in south Sulawesi and may be extinct on nearby Selayar Island, both of which areas have been largely deforested. It also occurs as a native form on the adjacent islands of Buton, Muna, Peleng, Lembeh and on some of the Togian Islands. The species has also been quite widely introduced elsewhere in Indonesia, e.g. to the islands of Halmahera, Flores, Timor, Lendu and Simeulue. The wild pigs on some of these islands are strongly modified and there is now little doubt but that S. celebensis has been domesticated, and transported to these areas as a domestic or feral form, probably during the early migrations of settling peoples. It is still maintained as a domestic form on the islands of Roti and Savur, near Timor. Whilst continued habitat destruction, hunting pressure and genetic contamination through contact with S. scrofa domesticates represent potentially serious threats to this species, it cannot be regarded as seriously threatened throughout its range at the present time. For this reason, recommendations for future action are primarily directed towards elucidating outstanding questions about: a) the systematic status and future management needs of populations in certain specified areas within its original range and in locations to which it can only have been introduced by human agency; and b) promoting applied research on various aspects of its biology, its socio-economic significance to village and island societies and its potential importance as a genetic resource for further domestication

The Babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa)

The babirusa is known only from Sulawesi (B. b. celebensis), some of the Togian Islands (B. b. togeanensis), the Sula Islands and Buru (B. b. babyrussa). Two extinct forms, one fossil and one recent (B. b. bolabatuensis), have been found in South Sulawesi. The species is therefore presumed to have been more widely distributed on Sulawesi in earlier times, but by the middle of the last century they were reported to occur only in the east and north-east parts of the island and to have disappeared from the whole of the south-western peninsula. Currently, babirusa are known only from the northern peninsula, central and south-eastern parts of the Sulawesi mainland, and from three of the larger Togian Islands Archipelago. Reports obtained in 1990 indicate that babirusa also survive on Buru and two of the Sula islands, Mangole and Taliabu, but that they may now be extinct on Sulabesi (formerly Sanana). However, there is no doubt but that babirusa are seriously threatened over most of their remaining range by deforestation and hunting pressure; the latter being particularly intense in parts of northern Sulawesi where there is commercial trade in the meat of these animals (Blouch, 1990; Budiarso et al., 1991). Much of the available information on the natural history and biology of this species is anecdotal or derived from the study of captive specimens. Distribution and status surveys in all parts of its range are required as a matter of high priority, with a view to the development of management plans for its enhanced future protection and the establishment of additional reserves in key areas, such as Buru, Mangole and the Togians. The possibility of relic populations of B. b. bolabatuensis surviving in remote locations in south Sulawesi should be investigated, and the taxonomic relationships of the central and south-eastern Sulawesi populations, which are unknown at present, need to be assessed. The first longer-term field study of the species' behaviour and ecology has been initiated recently in northern Sulawesi, and such studies should be continued and extended to other parts of the species' range in the near future. Particular emphasis should be placed on obtaining a proper understanding of its habitat preferences, population sizes and densities in different habitats, and the nature and extent of factors, such as hunting pressure, deforestation and agricultural encroachment, which are negatively influencing the distribution and numbers of surviving populations. Although there are large numbers of B. b. celebensis being maintained and bred in zoological collections at present, the captive population is extremely inbred. Priority should therefore be given to the acquisition of additional, wild-caught founders of this subspecies, and to the development of properly structured breeding programmes for the more threatened Togian subspecies, B. b. togeanensis, and, especially, the golden or hairy subspecies, B. b. babyrussa

Words of the Nusaweleh people (North Seram, Maluku, Indonesia)

First edition published in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2015 under the title: Words of the Nusawele people -- title page verso.This is a published list of words of the Nusaweleh people on Seram, Maluku, Indonesia. The list comprises five parts: 1) Title page and front pages, 2) Words of the Nusaweleh people with Indonesian and then English translations, 3) Words in Indonesian, with Nusaweleh and English translations, 4) Words in English with Nusaweleh and Indonesian translations, 5) Words for numbers in all three languages. First edition published in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2015 under the title: Words of the Nusawele people -- title page verso

The Conservation of the Babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa)

The babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) is believed to be the most distinct pig genus in the world. For example, among a number of unique anatomical characteristics, it is the only mammal with vertically growing canine teeth. Endemic to Sulawesi, and found on a few neighbouring islands such as Buru, Mangole, Taliabu and the Togian islands, the babirusa has a very limited geographical distribution. The available evidence seems to indicate that this is because Sulawesi has long been isolated by water from mainland Asia; the strait between Sulawesi and Borneo was apparently never narrower than about 50 kilometres during Pleistocene times. The current hypothesis is that the Babyrousa developed along a separate evolutionary line since Oligocene times (Thenius, 1970). This concept is supported by analyses of chromosome banding patterns that indicate that the chromosomes of the babirusa differed from those of other wild pigs (see Bosma et al, 1991). However, more recent work using DNA probes have shown that there are closer similarities between the chromosomes of Sus and Babyrousa than previously thought (Thomsen et al, 1996). DNA studies are beginning to reveal detailed molecular information with regard to the nature of the relationships babirusa has with other extant pig species (Randi et al, 1995; Lowden et al, 2002). New genetic analyses can be expected to give a much better understanding of the origin of the babirusa

Creating a public understanding of the biology of the Babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) within a caring zoo environment.

Studies of the anatomy, behaviour, physiology, and veterinary medicine of the babirusa have contributed to our understanding of the biology of the animal. The first part of this paper seeks to illustrate by means of examples how studies of the babirusa are currently being carried out. The second part addresses the topic of reporting the results of research studies. The information generated by research can often be translated into ideas and suggestions for the improvement of zoo practice with respect to enclosure design, nutrition, reproduction and veterinary care. However, it is more important that the next step is also addressed, namely the knowledgeable and interesting display of information to the general public