Bornean bearded pig

The Bornean bearded pig (''Sus barbatus''), also known as the Sunda bearded pig or simply bearded pig, is a species in the pig genus, '' Sus''.

It can be recognized by its prominent beard. It also sometimes has tassels on its tail. It is found in Southeast Asia—Sumatra, Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, and various smaller islands like in Sulu archipelago such as Tawi-Tawi, where it inhabits rainforests and mangrove forests. The bearded pig lives in a family. It can reproduce from the age of 18 months, and can be cross-bred with other species in the family Suidae.

Subspecies

The two subspecies of this pig are:
*''S. b. barbatus'' (the nominate subspecies)
*''S. b. oi'' (the western bearded pig)

As traditionally defined, the nominate is from Borneo. The species is widely ranging in Borneo. It is also found in Tawi-Tawi province at the tip of the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines, although possibly has been extirpated, and ''S. b. oi'' is from the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra. Genetic evidence suggests this is incorrect, and ''S. b. oi'' is better limited to Sumatra, leaving bearded pigs from both Borneo and the Malay Peninsula in the nominate subspecies.Lucchini, Meijaard, Diong, Groves and Randi (2005). ''New phylogenetic perspectives among species of South-east Asian wild pig (Sus sp.) based on mtDNA sequences and morphometric data.'' J. Zool., Lond. 266: 25–35 Those from Bangka Island appear somewhat intermediate between the two subspecies.

The Palawan bearded pig (''Sus ahoenobarbus'') has formerly been considered a subspecies of the bearded pig. However, as indicated by its genetic and morphological distinctness, under the phylogenetic species concept (which does not use subspecies) it needs to be elevated to full species status; while the situation is less clear under other species concepts (as not all ''S. barbatus'' populations have been restudied in modern times), the presently available information seems to favor full species status for ''S. ahoenobarbus'' in any case.

In captivity

The San Diego Zoo was the first zoo in the Western Hemisphere to breed them.

As of January 2016, it was held in the London Zoo, Berlin Zoo, Gladys Porter Zoo, National Zoo of Malaysia (Zoo Negara), Zoo Taiping, Night Safari, and Southwick's Zoo. The animals at Hellabrunn Zoo were euthanized in 2017 because of old age, and there is only one male left at the Berlin Zoo. Three individuals (one castrated male and two females) left at London Zoo and one individual left at Gladys Porter Zoo and the individuals were replaced by red river hogs in Southwick's Zoo as of 2017, which means that the species will likely disappear soon from European and American zoos.

File:Bartschwein Sus barbatus Tierpark Hellabrunn-6.jpg, At the Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich, Germany
File:Wild Boar at San Diego Zoo.jpg, At the San Diego Zoo, the United States of America
File:Bearded Pigs2.jpg, Bearded pigs at Philadelphia zoo

References

External links

*
*
* Groves, C. P. (1997). "Taxonomy of wild pigs (Sus) of the Philippines". ''Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society'', 120: 163–191. doi: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1997.tb01277.
Abstract
(full article requires subscription access)
*

' by Nicole Knibbe in University of Michigan Museum of Zoology

Pigs, Peccaries and Hippos Status Survey and Action Plan (1993)
Chapter 5.5 by Julian O. Caldecott, Raleigh A. Blouch and Alastair A. Macdonald.

{{Taxonbar, from=Q809606

Sus (genus)
Mammals described in 1838
Mammals of Borneo
Mammals of Brunei
Mammals of Indonesia
Mammals of Malaysia
Mammals of the Philippines
Taxa named by Salomon Müller