Sulawesi deer boar
| Sulawesi deer boar | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Male Sulawesi deer boar |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Babyrousa celebensis | ||||||||||||
| ( Deninger , 1909) |
The Sulawesi deer boar ( Babyrousa celebensis ) is a species of the deer boar (genus Babyrousa ). Its natural range is limited to the island of Sulawesi and some offshore islands. Nevertheless, it is the most common and widespread species of deer boar. Its population is considered endangered.
features
The Sulawesi deer boar is less hairy than the Moluccan deer boar and, in contrast to the Togian deer boar, has a very sparsely hairy tail. The maxillary canines, which, like all deer boars, pierce the roof of the snout, are relatively long and arched towards the eyes. In contrast to the Moluccan deer boar, the lower and upper canine teeth generally do not cross when viewed from the side. The head body length is 85–110 cm, the tail length 20–32 cm and the shoulder height 65–80 cm. The body weight is up to 100 kg. The upper molars M 2 and M 3 and the lower molars M 1 and M 3 are longer than other species of deer. As with other deer boars, the trunk bone is missing, which makes it easier for the other pigs to dig with their snouts in the ground.
distribution and habitat
The Sulawesi deer boar inhabits the island of Sulawesi . In addition, it was once widespread on the offshore islands of Muna , Buton and Lembeh , where it is believed to be extinct today. The Sulawesi deer boar inhabits tropical rainforests. It was originally reported that he preferred the deeper, coastal areas. In the meantime, the animals seem to have their main distribution center in the central parts of the island. This development may be caused by humans' pushing the species back into remote areas. In general, these boars seem to have a predilection for water. Salt licks are often sought out.
Way of life
food
There is little research into diet in the wild. Observations in captivity and the structure of the stomach show that the animals are typical omnivores. In zoological gardens, for example, it has been observed several times that they captured and ate small animals in the enclosure. Most important food components seem to be roots and fruits. With their strong jaws, they are able to break open even hard nutshells.
Reproduction
In captivity, the animals reach sexual maturity at around 5–10 months. The sexual cycle lasts a total of 30-40 days, with estrus, the time in which the female animal is ready to conceive, only lasts for 2-3 days. The gestation period is usually 155–158 days, although gestation periods of up to 171 days have also been documented. A litter usually consists of one or two, less often three boys. These are very small at birth and weigh only 800 g. The females usually have two pairs of teats, and a third pair is rarely recorded. In captivity, the animals can live up to 24 years of age, although it is considered unlikely that they will live to be more than 7-12 years old in the wild. Apparently the long tusks are not used in the rank fights. Rather, competing males push each other around until they stand up on each other's hind legs and try to keep their snouts up.
Activity and social behavior
After observations of deer boars in captivity and in the wild, it is assumed that the animals are primarily diurnal. The animals wake up at sunrise and start the day with a morning toilet. After that, they wander around looking for food. Later in the day, other activities, such as wallowing or resting, take up more of the time. For the night the animals build hollow-like nests with leaves and branches. Shared nests have also been observed in zoos. The animals are quite social and form groups of up to 13 animals. Occasionally, clusters of up to 46 animals were observed at salt licks or other points of attraction. Solitary animals are mostly old males. The females are usually accompanied by their young, and there are often males in their vicinity. It is believed that the adult males defend territories, each of which overlaps with those of several females. The population density can be quite high, in some areas there are 4-11 animals per square kilometer. However, significantly lower population densities of 0.7–4 animals per square kilometer were found. Deer boars are considered good swimmers. One animal was observed swimming in a lake 500 m from the coast.
Natural enemies
Since there are no large land carnivores on Sulawesi, the deer boar knows only a few natural enemies. At most, large crocodiles and sometimes giant snakes are dangerous to him.
Systematics
Until recently, all deer boars were attributed to Babyrousa bayrussa . Today the deer boars of the Moluccas and the Togian Islands are each considered to be independent species. Because the Moluccan deer boar was given the scientific name B. babyrussa , the Sulawesi deer boar was given the name B. celebensis . The population of the southwestern arm of the island of Sulawesi, which is only known to be subfossilized, is also considered to be an independent species. All other Sulawesi's deer boars are now included in the Sulawesi deer boar. However, this classification is not backed up by genetic evidence. In particular, it remains to be seen whether the animals of the central part and the eastern parts of Sulawesi are also included in B. celebensis , or whether this only applies to the populations in the north of the island.
Threat and protection
The Sulawesi deer boar is the most common and widespread species of deer boar. It is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN . The total population is estimated at less than 10,000 animals, with a decreasing trend (as of 2016). In particular in the north and in the central part of the island, the populations have melted down due to violent stalking. In contrast to the Muslim inhabitants of the island, the Christian communities in the north of the island in particular are willing buyers of the meat. From the extreme northwest of Sulawesi the species has apparently disappeared completely. The eastern limit of distribution is here in the area of the Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park , the Nantu Wildlife Sanctuary and the Panua Nature Reserve, all of which are in the western half of the northern peninsula. The species still occurs in the central part, as well as in the east and south-east, but precise information on the population situation is missing. In these areas, habitat degradation is a major threat. In the area of the Lore Lindu National Park , the species now seems to be rare, while it appears to be found in larger populations north of Palu . On the islands of Muna , Buton and possibly also on Lembeh , the species is likely to have become extinct.
One reason for the critical stock situation is hunting, especially with snare traps. The animals are hunted for their meat for the island's Christian markets, but teeth are also sometimes sold to Balinese traders for the manufacture of masks. However, land Sulawesi Hirscheber as "bycatch" is also in the snares of Muslim hunters who Anoas hunt. The boars are usually killed and the carcasses left in the forest. Due to the low reproductive rate, hunting has a more dramatic effect on the population than, for example, the Sulawesi pustular pig .
The second threat to the species is habitat loss through deforestation for logging, agriculture or other land uses. When logging, the boar is one of the first species to disappear from the affected area. In practice, even the national parks and protected areas do not offer suitable habitats everywhere.
On paper, the deer boar in Indonesia has been protected since 1931, which could not prevent the developments described. In order to preserve the species, in addition to protected areas, the population is informed about how to curb poaching and the zoo population is stable.
Zoo population
The deer boar is successfully bred in various zoological gardens. The animals that are kept in western zoos are likely to come from the north of Sulawesi and are therefore most likely to be assigned to the Sulawesi deer boar. However, their genetic variability is estimated to be relatively low, since all of the approximately 200 animals that live in captivity today can be traced back to one male and two females, which were brought to the Surabaya Zoo on Java in 1972 and reproduced.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g h E. Meijaard, JP d'Huart, WLR Oliver: Babirusa. (Babyrousa) In: DE Wilson, RA Mittermeier (Ed.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Vol. 2: Hoofed Mammals. 2011, ISBN 978-84-96553-77-4 , pp. 274-276.
- ↑ a b c d Babyrousa togeanensis in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011.2. Listed by: AA Macdonald, J. Burton, K. Leus, 2008. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
- ^ A b Alastair A. Macdonald: Sulawesi Babirusa Babyrousa celebensis (Deninger, 1909) . In: Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wild Pigs and Peccaries . Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-1-316-94123-2 , pp. 59-69 , doi : 10.1017 / 9781316941232.008 .
- ↑ James Burton (IUCN SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group), Kristin Leus (IUCN SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group), Alastair Macdonald, Ikeu Sri Rejeki: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Sulawesi Babirusa. February 26, 2016, accessed May 27, 2020 .
- ↑ Sharron Ogle: Techniques to assist conservation breeding of the babirusa (Babyrousa celebensis) . PhD thesis, supervised by Alastair Macdonald. The University of Edinburgh, 2010. online ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as broken. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
Web links
- Babyrousa celebensis inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011.2. Listed by: AA Macdonald, J. Burton, K. Leus, 2008. Retrieved November 4, 2012.