SAN ANTONIO — The start of the new year brought another reason to celebrate for the San Antonio Zoo: the facility's first-ever birth of a babirusa, a name that translates literally to "pig deer" in Malay.
The baby animal – its name and gender not yet announced – was born to parent babirusas Sula and Kreacher, and represents "a significant milestone for both the zoo and the conservation efforts of this vulnerable species," the zoo said in a statement. Known for their curved tusks, the babirusa is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as "vulnerable," one level away from endangered.
One reason for the species' status: Mothers tend to only birth one or two piglets at a time, zoo officials said, while crediting Sula for "her maternal instincts."
Native to Indonesia, babirusas can grow to weigh up to 220 pounds as adults, according to the San Diego Zoo. Their "barrel-shaped bodies" are covered with bristly skin that makes them appear hairless, but it's their odd-looking tusks, particularly on male babirusas, that are their most distinctive feature. They can live up to 10 years in the wild, but up to 24 in proper human care.
The San Antonio Zoo's initial Instagram post announcing the babirusa's birth has received dozens of congratulatory comments and thousands of likes, with one user writing: "I don't know what that is, but I love them both."
While it's yet to be announced when the baby "deer-pig" will meet human visitors for the first time, the zoo shared footage of the six-day old piglet frolicking around in hay and getting used to his surroundings.
"While some may describe these little ones as 'ugly babies,' we can't help but find them irresistibly adorable with their unique and unconventional charm," San Antonio Zoo CEO Tim Morrow said in a release. "We can't wait for the public to fall in love with this precious little babirusa."
For the foreseeable future, zoo officials say the animal will spend time bonding with its mother to ensure "a strong foundation for its future."
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