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

Leus, Kristin

Macdonald, Alastair A

Edinburgh Research Archive

CREATING A PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIOLOGY OF THEBABIRUSA (Babyrousa babyrussa) WITHIN A CARING ZOOENVIRONMENTMacdonald A.A., Leus K.Department of Preclinical Veterinary Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Summerhall, Edinburgh EH9 1QH,Scotland, U.K.1. IntroductionStudies of the anatomy, behaviour, physiology,and veterinary medicine of the babirusa havecontributed to our understanding of the bio-logy of the animal. The first part of this paperseeks to illustrate by means of examples howstudies of the babirusa are currently being car-ried out. The second part addresses the topic ofreporting the results of research studies. Theinformation generated by research can often betranslated into ideas and suggestions for theimprovement of zoo practice with respect toenclosure design, nutrition, reproduction andveterinary care. However, it is more importantthat the next step is also addressed, namely theknowledgeable and interesting display of infor-mation to the general public.But what is a babirusa? It is pig of unusualappearance (Fig. 1), the current opinion withregard to its place within the Suidae havingbeen reviewed within the recently publishedaccount of the status survey and conservationaction plan for the pigs, peccaries and hippos(Oliver, 1993). Endemic to the Indonesianislands of Sulawesi, Buru and the Sula andTogian groups (Macdonald, 1991; Macdonald,1993) the subspecies from the northern part ofSulawesi is now represented in 29 zoos worldwide. A studbook has been established for thespecies and active research of its biology hasbeen stimulated (Plasa, 1992). The researchactivity of recent decades has concentrated lar-gely on material available in museums and zoo-logical collections; only a few studies being car-ried out in the field (Macdonald, 1991;Macdonald, 1993).2. AnatomyReanalyses of the soft tissue anatomy of thelimbs and digestive tract of the babirusa haverevealed mistakes of identification in earlierwork and the results have reversed the earliersuggestion that the babirusa was constructed ina significantly different way from the pig (Susscrofa); in general the muscular anatomies ofthe two species are very similar (Macdonald etal., 1985; Kneepkens et al., 1989) and the sto-mach of the babirusa does not resemble that ofthe ruminant (Langer, 1988). Other anatomi-cal studies, of the canine teeth in the skulls ofwild-caught adult male babirusa, had led to theconclusion that the upper canines might beused in combat between males (MacKinnon,1981). One adult was thought to use the cur-ved maxillary canine to hook over one of thelower canines of his opponent, thereby disar-ming him. It was believed that this would thenallow him to use his own lower canine toinflict injury on the throat or face of the disar-med opponent. However, recent X-ray analysesof the male skull demonstrated that the maxil-lary canine has a relatively shallow socket andwould be unable to withstand large leverageforces (Macdonald et al., 1993).37IBEX J.M.E. 3:1995Keywords: Babirusa, Babyrousa babyrussa, Suidae, Zoo conservation.Abstract: Studies on babirusa, carried out largely in zoos throughout the world and dealing with various biologicaland veterinary aspects, have yelded data which offer hypotheses which can be examined and tested by the observa-tion of babirusa in the wild. This paper will review the results of these studies and present them within the contextof generating interest in and awareness of the biology of the babirusa and the environment within which it lives.IBEX J.M.E. 3:37-403. BehaviourStudies of the agonistic behaviour of babirusahave so far revealed no evidence that the adultmales normally use their teeth during male-male interactions. The boars were seen to gothrough a series of aggressive behaviours whichcould be categorised (Macdonald et al., 1993 ).The ultimate form of agonistic behaviour wasdescribed as “boxing”, and involved the twomales raising themselves off the ground untilboth were standing on their hind legs facingone another, leaning and paddling against thechest and shoulders of their opponent(Fig. 1A). Their snouts were held as high aspossible. Females did not employ the same stra-tegy. Ironically they did use their teeth, in thiscase their chisel-like incisors to nip at the fore-limb or foot of the opponent.Both sexes were able to stand on their hindlimbs, however, the female being seen to havethe ability to balance on her hind limbs inorder to browse the leaves of trees in her enclo-sure (Fig. 1B). Care of the skin would seem tobe implied by the wallowing activity seen oftenin the heat of the tropics (Fig. 1C); it is anoption largely denied that animals in Europeanzoos due to current pen design.Macdonald A.A., Leus K. Status of species, genetics and conservation - Communication38 IBEX J.M.E. 3:1995Figure 1A - “Boxing” behaviour demonstrated by two adultmale babirusa. Note they are stretching their noses as highas possible and paddling with their forefeet.Figure 1B - Adult female balancing on her hind legs whilebrowsing the leaves of a tree.4. PhysiologyThe reproductive physiology of the babirusa ispoorly understood. Observations of animals inzoological collections suggest that the conti-nual presence of the boar within the sameenclosure may depress the production of young.By way of contrast, however, the separation ofthe male and female into adjacent pens, withmixing restricted to during oestrus seems topromote fecundity (Vercammen, 1991). Boththe presence of several boars within a singlepen of females, or individual boars with sightand scent of one another in adjacent pens offemales also appear to stimulate competitionand enhanced reproductive activity. The rela-tively small size of the female reproductivetract is consistent with the small size of the lit-ter which ranges from one to three young aftera gestation of about 158 or 159 days(Vercammen, op. cit.). However, video recor-ding of the delivery of babirusa piglets hasdemonstrated that those which are too weak tosurvive the night are consumed by the mother,and are thus never recorded by the staff whenthey come on duty. There is an unconfirmedreport from the field that the babirusa can pro-duce four fetuses (Patry, 1990).5. VeterinaryThe increased number of babirusa in Europeanand American zoological collections has led toa greater awareness of the need to gather obser-vations related to their husbandry and care. Forexample the rapid growth of the teeth of themale is such as to require them to be routinelycut in order to prevent them from growing intothe forehead. The chronic relatively poor con-dition of feet has been noted but remains to beinvestigated. Increasing interest in other partsof the animal’s skeletal anatomy has recentlydrawn attention to the presence of undiagno-sed spondylosis and the European coordinationof research on the species has revealed the pre-sence of intra-abdominal tumours.6. Care within zoosZoos and their keepers, by their very nature,care for their animals as individuals. For exam-ple, attention might be expected to be paid tothe structural weakness of the upper canineand its socket with regard to the specific designof fencing. The ability of the animal to standon its hindlegs inplies that cut branches mightbe set in holders and on trees above groundlevel in order to allow the animal to stretch toStatus of species, genetics and conservation - Communication Macdonald A.A., Leus K.39IBEX J.M.E. 3:1995Figure 1C - Male babirusa bathing in a muddy pond in the late morning tropical heat.browse. The ability of the animals to interactin a series of interesting ways without causingone another serious damage suggests that hol-ding them in larger group sizes might be explo-red.Increasingly, however, the attention of zoostaff is being called away from the individual tothe care of the species as a whole. In a corre-sponding way, there are changes and an adjust-ment underway in the role of the zoo, movingit gradually from that of a park exhibiting therange of forms of animal species in the worldtowards something more akin to an informedteaching and research institution (Macdonaldand Leus, 1993). Progressively, the current andprospective status of groups of animals, such asthe pigs, are being evaluated and species arebeing classified as “rare”, “vuInerable”, “endan-gered” or “critically endangered” (Oliver,1993). World-wide the zoo community is beinginvited to participate in and increasingly con-centrate their resources on the captive bree-ding of species which fall within these catego-ries. Taxon advisory groups (TAGs) are increa-singly liaising with workers in the field to helpensure the conservation of species. Effectiveconservation of the available genetic variabi-lity depends upon more thorough collectionand dissemination of information about theirnumbers and distribution in the wild as well asthe biology of individual species. Crucially,however, funding and other support of theseactivities can be expected to rely heavily uponinformation and the explanation offered to thegeneral public about what is going on withinthe zoo in this regard and why. Greater effortwill be required of the zoos in the future toshow and tell the public more of the details ofthe biology of the babirusa, and to illustratehow and why the animal is being conservedwithin zoos for its eventual return to a restorednatural environment.7. AcknowledgementsThe hospitality shown by the staff in the zoosof Europe and Indonesia during the course ofthese studies was much valued. We are alsograteful to the Commission of the EuropeanCommunity, the Development Trust of theUniversity of Edinburgh and the Balloch Trustfor their financial support.REFERENCESKNEEPKENS A.F.L.M., BADOUX D.M. & MACDONALDA.A., (1989) - Descriptive and comparative myo-logy of the forelimb of the babirusa (Babyrousababyrussa L. 1758). Anatomia HistologiaEmbryologia, 18: 349-365.LANGER P. (1988) - The Mammalian Herbivore Stomach.G. Fischer, Stuttgart, 557 pp.LEUS K., BOWLES D., BELL J. & MACDONALD A.A,(1992) - Behaviour of the babirusa (Babyrousababyrussa) with suggestions for husbandry. ActaZoologica et Pathologica Antverpiensia, 82: 9-27.MACDONALD A.A, (1991) - Monographie desHirschebers (Babyrousa babyrussa). Bongo, Berlin,18: 69-84.MACDONALD A.A, (1993) - The Babirusa, Babyrousababyrussa. In: Status survey and conservation actionplan: Pigs, Peccaries and Hippos. W.L.R. Oliver(ed.), IUCN, Gland, Switzerland: 161-171.MACDONALD A.A., BOWLES D., BELL J. & LEUS K,(1993) - Agonistic behaviour in captive Babirusa(Babyrousa babyrussa). Z. Saügetierk., 58: 18-30.MACDONALD A.A., KNEEPKENS A.F.L.M.,KOLFSCHOTEN T., VAN HOUTEKAMER J.L.,SONDAAR P.Y. & BADOUX D.M, (1985) -Comparative anatomy of the limb musculature ofsome Suina. In: Functional Morphology ofVertebrates. H.R. Duncker & G. Fleischer (eds).Fortschritte der Zoologie, 30: 95-97. Gustav Fischer,Stuttgart.MACDONALD A.A. & LEUS K., (1993) - A frameworkof ideas for research in zoos as illustrated by thestudy of babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) and otherpig species. International Union of Directors ofZoological Gardens: Scientific sessions of the annualconference, 48, in press.MACKINNON J., (1981) - The structure and function ofthe tusks of babirusa. Mammal Review, 11: 37- 40.OLIVER W.L.R. (ed.), (1993) - Status survey and conser-vation action plan. Pigs, Peccaries and Hippos.IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.PATRY M., (1990) - Babiroussa: une vie jusqu’au bout durêve. Fixot, Paris, 221 pp.PLASA L., (1992) - Internationales Zuchtbuch für denHirscheber (Babyrousa babyrussa) 1991.VERCAMMEN P., (1991) - Übersicht über die Haltungvon Hirschebern (Babyrousa babyrussa) im ZooAntwerpen. Bongo, Berlin, 18: 244-249.Macdonald A.A., Leus K. Status of species, genetics and conservation - Communication40 IBEX J.M.E. 3:1995

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

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

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