Babirusas of the United States

MOG2012 said:
I got it from this thread
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Considering that the profile page of @Sicarius is no longer available, you should take everything they have posted on here with a very big grain of salt. This line below in the post of his quoted sounds a bit suspicious for this matter as there seems to be no source for this DNA study, and it is potentially made-up information.
Sicarius said:
This requires confirmation, but it seems that the babirusas in captivity are hybridized. A genetic study showed DNA from Babyrousa celebensis x Babyrousa togeanensis. Unfortunately, no paper has been published on this discovery.
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Nile Hippo Expert said:
Considering that the profile page of @Sicarius is no longer available, you should take everything they have posted on here with a very big grain of salt. This line below in the post of his quoted sounds a bit suspicious for this matter as there seems to be no source for this DNA study, and it is potentially made-up information.
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I originally put "question mark" over this assertion here. Having intimate knowledge personally of most if not all conservation issues on Sulawesi and some of the prime species like babirusa, anoa, maleo, hornbills, the 7 macaque species, some of the marsupial fauna ..., I did take it as more than a tad invalid.

Over this last decade the genetics of both babirusa and anoa have come into intensive scientific focus and there are no indications (yet) that any gene pools have become severely hybridised.... Mind you, the local (Christian) populations does consume both anoa and babirusa meat and is not known to breed them ...., which remains a significant threat to their overall survival and continued endangered status on the island as well as the Togian archipelago (Togian babirusa) and some of the western islands of the Maluku archipelago (Buru babirusa - Buru and the Sula islands Taliabu and Mangole).
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
I originally put "question mark" over this assertion here. Having intimate knowledge personally of most if not all conservation issues on Sulawesi and some of the prime species like babirusa, anoa, maleo, hornbills, the 7 macaque species, some of the marsupial fauna ..., I did take it as more than a tad invalid.

Over this last decade the genetics of both babirusa and anoa have come into intensive scientific focus and there are no indications (yet) that any gene pools have become severely hybridised.... Mind you, the local (Christian) populations does consume both anoa and babirusa meat and is not known to breed them ...., which remains a significant threat to their overall survival and continued endangered status on the island as well as the Togian archipelago (Togian babirusa) and some of the western islands of the Maluku archipelago (Buru babirusa - Buru and the Sula islands Taliabu and Mangole).
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Haven't followed Babirusa discussions in the TAGs for a while, but due to lack of knowledge on the background of some founders and genetic testing there were indications for hybridisation of the captive population in zoos outside Asia (de-facto Europa and N-A). Not sure if new research shown this to be invalid, but I do believe Sicarius did hear what he heard even though it might have been invalidated by now (again haven't been following the discussion on Babirusa in zoos for a while).
 
DDcorvus said:
Haven't followed Babirusa discussions in the TAGs for a while, but due to lack of knowledge on the background of some founders and genetic testing there were indications for hybridisation of the captive population in zoos outside Asia (de-facto Europa and N-A). Not sure if new research shown this to be invalid, but I do believe Sicarius did hear what he heard even though it might have been invalidated by now (again haven't been following the discussion on Babirusa in zoos for a while).
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DDcorvus, I will send you a PM/DM (I think we have said enough publicly...).
 
Austin the Sengi said:
Additionally, it should be noted that based on a relatively-recent study, every babirusa in the United States does not belong to a single species. Rather, they are actually hybrids (if the study proves true) between the more familiar North Sulawesi Babirusa / Babyrousa celebensis and the somewhat obscure Togian Babirusa / Babyrousa togeanensis. Whether this hybridization will be detrimental to the population in the future or not remains to be seen, but just to be safe, it would be wise to label the American individuals as simply Babirusa (B. celebensis x togeanensis) from now on.

*deceased individual/s
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Given that there isn’t a scientific paper to support the genetic study, it’s safer than said to disregard what I wrote in the quoted post. That being said, an AZA document sourced by fellow member @Great Argus allowed me to improvise the current numbers, which, according to him, should be somewhere in the sixties (as of right now). With this in mind, here is what the population numbers are looking like, at the time the document was published (December 2024):

The United States’ Babirusa Population​

The following document will be utilized as a record for all births, deaths, locations, and transfers of every babirusa in the United States of America. This thread will also be continuously updated to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible. Also, feel free to leave any new information in the comments here on this thread.

Each facility is organized alphabetically, followed by the individuals organized by age and sex.


Audubon Zoo - New Orleans, Louisiana - (2.2.0) 4
• 1.0 Java (circa 2018 - Meru x Piggy)
• 1.0 Chip (circa 2021 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Addison (circa 2014 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Babs (circa 2015 - unknown parental information)


Brevard Zoo - Melbourne, Florida - (5.1.0) 6
• 1.0 Meru (circa 2015 - unknown parental information)
• 1.0 Billy (May 18th, 2022 - Meru x Piggy)
• 1.0 Bob (May 18th, 2022 - Meru x Piggy)
• 1.0 Merry (January 2024 - Meru x Piggy)
• 1.0 Pippin (January 2024 - Meru x Piggy)
• 0.1 Piggy (circa 2016 - unknown parental information)


Bronx Zoo - Bronx, New York - (6.3.0) 9
• 1.0 Kenneth (circa 2012 - unknown parental information)
• 1.0 Larry (circa 2020 - unknown parental information)
• 1.0 Moe (circa 2020 - unknown parental information)
• 1.0 Sprout (circa 2020 - unknown parental information)
• 1.0 Philbert (circa 2022 - unknown parental information)
• 1.0 Hawthorne (circa 2022 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Ivy (circa 2016 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Cahaya (circa 2018 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Kecil (circa 2018 - unknown parental information)


Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Park) - Lake Buena Vista, Florida - (1.2.0) 3
• 1.0 Mentari (circa 2016 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Betty (circa 2009 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Nutmeg (November 21st, 2021 - Mentari x Betty)


Fresno Chaffee Zoo - Fresno, California - (1.2.0) 3
• 1.0 Berani (circa 2019 - Jethro x Muna)
• 0.1 Laura Louise (July 2021 - Peanut Butter* x Kristina)
• 0.1 Minnie (July 2021 - Peanut Butter* x Kristina)
Do take Berani’s presence with a pinch of salt, since his arrival may or may not have been reported by the zoo themselves

Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens - Jacksonville, Florida - (0.2.0) 2
• 0.1 Ramona (circa 2012 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Kirana (May 6th, 2020 - Mentari x Betty)


Los Angeles Zoo - Los Angeles, California - (0.1.0) 1
• 0.1 Kristina (May 2014 - unknown parental information)


Louisville Zoo - Louisville, Kentucky - (2.1.0) 3
• 1.0 Albus (circa 2009 - unknown parental information)
• 1.0 Rowdy (April 29th, 2023 - Albus x Patrice)
• 0.1 Patrice (circa 2009 - unknown parental information)


Nashville Zoo - Nashville, Tennessee - (0.2.0) 2
• 0.1 Tinsel (circa 2017 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Garland (July 21st, 2021 - Dobby x Tinsel)
No idea as to where or when Dobby left Nashville; might’ve been deceased as far as we know


Riverbanks Zoo - Columbia, South Carolina - (0.1.0) 1
• 0.1 Penelope (circa 2013 - unknown parental information)


Roger Williams Park Zoo - Providence, Rhode Island - (1.1.0) 2
• 1.0 Ebenezer (circa 2017 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Ginger (circa 2016 - unknown parental information)


San Antonio Zoo - San Antonio, Texas - (2.2.0) 4
• 1.0 Kreacher (circa 2018 - unknown parental information)
• 1.0 Gunter (December 29th, 2023 - Kreacher x Sula)
• 0.1 Hattie (circa 2008 - unknown date & parental information)
• 0.1 Sula (circa 2016 - unknown date & parental information)


San Diego Zoo - San Diego, California - (2.6.0) 8
• 1.0 Masalah (December 16th, 2018 - unknown parental information)
• 1.0 Joyah (circa 2020 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Fig (circa 2013 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Mary Kate (circa 2014 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Amina (circa 2020 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Dewi (circa 2020 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Indah (circa 2020 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Zamira (circa 2020 - unknown parental information)


San Diego Zoo Safari Park - Escondido, California - (1.2.0) 3
• 1.0 Jethro (circa 2010 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Muna (circa 2012 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Asmara (circa 2019 - Jethro x Muna)


Saint Louis Zoo - St. Louis, Missouri - (0.3.0) 3
• 0.1 Pebbles (circa 2013 - unknown date & parental information)
• 0.1 Marge (circa 2019 - unknown date & parental information)
• 0.1 Nola (circa 2020 - unknown date & parental information)


White Oak Conservation Center - Yulee, Florida - (0.2.0) 2
• 0.1 Megan (circa 2012 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Maddy (circa 2012 - unknown parental information)


Zoo Miami - Miami, Florida - (2.1.0) 3
• 1.0 Harry (circa 2019 - unknown parental information)
• 1.0 Turbo (December 15th, 2023 - Harry x Maggie)
• 0.1 Maggie (circa 2019 - unknown date & parental information)


ZooTampa at Lowry Park - Tampa, Florida - (1.2.0) 3
• 1.0 Watson (circa 2014 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Myrtle (circa 2009 - unknown parental information)
• 0.1 Wesi (circa 2016 - unknown parental information)


Total US Population (62)
26.36.0
(*deceased)
 
I was wondering would anyone know what happened to the babirusas that the Oregon zoo had in the 2000s and I am asking because I barely remember them but I wasn’t sure what their names were and like if they are still around or if they have passed on or if they have had any offspring.
 
Tigeanderson said:
I was wondering would anyone know what happened to the babirusas that the Oregon zoo had in the 2000s and I am asking because I barely remember them but I wasn’t sure what their names were and like if they are still around or if they have passed on or if they have had any offspring.
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They had twin brothers named Itchy and Scratchy and I believe both died circa 2018.
 
Austin the Sengi said:
Do take Berani’s presence with a pinch of salt, since his arrival may or may not have been reported by the zoo themselves
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Why do we need salt? The SSP confirms he is there, and USDA from December also lists three babirusa.

Austin the Sengi said:
No idea as to where or when Dobby left Nashville; might’ve been deceased as far as we know
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If he left Nashville it was to non-AZA, as he does not appear in the SSP. Hence as I mentioned, I'm more inclined to think he passed away.
 
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