Bearded Pigs in North American Zoos

[snowleopard]

There are only about 10 zoos on the planet that have any of the various subspecies of bearded pig, and only 4 of those are in North American collections. The Gladys Porter Zoo has 1.1, Lowry Park Zoo 0.2, Philadelphia Zoo 3.0, and the San Diego Zoo 6.9.1...although the San Diego numbers never seem to be in line with ISIS. Visayan warty pigs are almost as rare, with only about 20 zoos worldwide with the species.

 

[mstickmanp]

I wish the LA Zoo had bearded pigs. Visayan warty pigs are also very interesting pigs.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

In terms of subspecies - which is extremely relevant in island species - what taxa of bearded pigs are we talking about?

 

[snowleopard]

San Diego, Lowry and Philadelphia all have Bornean bearded pigs (Sus barbatus barbatus) while the Gladys Porter Zoo has what I have heard called the Philippines bearded pig (Sus barbatus). Those are the only 4 collections in North America with these pigs, but I know that the Singapore Zoo has around 25 curly-bearded pigs (Sus barbatus oi).

 

[loxodonta]

San Diego, Lowry and Philadelphia all have Bornean bearded pigs (Sus barbatus barbatus) while the Gladys Porter Zoo has what I have heard called the Philippines bearded pig (Sus barbatus). Those are the only 4 collections in North America with these pigs, but I know that the Singapore Zoo has around 25 curly-bearded pigs (Sus barbatus oi).

A private zoo called Southwick Zoo in Massachusetts received bearded pigs last year. I do not know where they came from or what sub species (I think Bornean) they are but they do have them on display.

 

[Fodders]

There are only two ssp:

oi
barbatus

As far as I know

 

[okapikpr]

San Diego and Cincinnati Zoos each imported 1.2 Bornean Bearded Pigs in 1992. The first birth occured in 1997 at the San Diego Zoo and all of the wild caught pigs have contributed to the program except for one female who died in 2003. These suids can be found in San Diego, Brownsville, Lowry Park, Philadelphia, Shadow Nursery, Omaha, and at a few other private holders.


The Visyan Warty Pigs are a well inbred population. San Diego imported 3.5 captive bred pigs in 2001/2002 from a wildlife center in the Philippines. Two males died in quarantine, leaving but one male (whose father and grandfather are the same male) to sire most of the warty pigs in North America (his sons, etc. sired the others). Visyan Warty Pigs can be found at San Diego, Capron Park Zoo, Lowry Park Zoo, Oregon Zoo, Los Angeles, Minnesota, and St Louis. Current Jan. 2008.

 

[loxodonta]

Brevard also has warty pigs and has had several births since they arrived. One of the most excited days of my life was when litte capron zoo received their pigs.

 

[kbaker116]

Also several other unaccredited facilities have them for instance the Tennesee Safari Park has them and in September a Bearded Pig was auctioned off at a Lollibros Exotic Animal Auction in Missouri at a small price of $100 don't believe it check the report yourself.

Click the link if you want.
ExSaleReport

 

[mstickmanp]

Also several other unaccredited facilities have them for instance the Tennesee Safari Park has them and in September a piglet was auctioned off at a Lollibros Exotic Animal Auction in Missouri at a small price of $100 don't believe it check the report yourself.

Click the link if you want.
ExSaleReport

Was this piglet born at the Tennessee Safari Park?

 

[kbaker116]

I don't believe so I read in an article in a Money Maker's Guide for Farmers at a Tractor Supply the article said the Tennessee Safari Park has Warthogs, Bush Pigs, Red River Hogs, and Bornean Bearded Pigs. I believe the Bearded Pig came from a different unaccredited facility that had no use for the animal. A species at such a risk with a price so low is not good.

 

[Tennessee]

Not from us! It's a shame but these animals do find their ways into the wrong hands from time to time. The only thing you can do is weed out the good and the bad facilities.

Other than that, they are a very interesting species to exhibit and they are TUFF! I've kept them in all sorts of different areas and they were very destructive over the years. The last two years they have called a 10 acre bermuda field and a .5 acre pond home and yes i actually have knee high grass throughout their pen and for some odd reason they don't rut it up. First time i've ever seen bearded pigs in beautiful scenery. If any of you are around my area let me know, we have a pretty nice collection and growing strong!

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Not from us! It's a shame but these animals do find their ways into the wrong hands from time to time. The only thing you can do is weed out the good and the bad facilities.

Other than that, they are a very interesting species to exhibit and they are TUFF! I've kept them in all sorts of different areas and they were very destructive over the years. The last two years they have called a 10 acre bermuda field and a .5 acre pond home and yes i actually have knee high grass throughout their pen and for some odd reason they don't rut it up. First time i've ever seen bearded pigs in beautiful scenery. If any of you are around my area let me know, we have a pretty nice collection and growing strong!

There is a real need to invest in rare and endangered suids and the go-it-alone approach is not to be welcomed. Taxa on target are the Sulawesi babirusas (+2 different ssp. more from the islands close to mainland Sulawesi), bearded pigs (various species) and warty pigs (various species too).