A quick glance at the Bornean bearded pig (Sus barbatus barbatus) makes it obvious how it got its name. Wiry, yellowish-white whiskers grow from its long, narrow jaw like an unruly beard.
This pig species is most abundant in Borneo, where it is the only native wild pig. Small subspecies populations also occur on nearby islands in the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines and on the mainland of Malaysia. Well adapted to life in the tropical evergreen rain forest, these pigs also sometimes inhabit beaches, mangroves, and upper montane cloud forests.
The Bornean bearded pig has a well-developed sense of smell and uses its snout to dig in the ground, looking for treats such as roots, earthworms, fruit, and seedlings. Especially important to the pig’s diet are the oil-rich seeds of native oak and chestnut trees as well as dipterocarp trees.
The pigs live in a stable family group—matriarchal herds with as many as 200 individuals. Most of the time they live in one place, but once a year they migrate—the only pig species in the world that does so. Several hundred pigs travel well-worn paths at night and retreat into the thicket to rest during the day. Scientists are not certain why they migrate. It might be to search for food, such as the fruits of the camphor tree.
The bearded pig is culturally and economically important in Borneo’s rural communities. Local people have hunted the animals sustainably for thousands of years, but their hunting habits may have to change. Logging and agricultural activities have destroyed the pigs’ habitat and reduced populations to a point that makes traditional hunting levels unsustainable. The bearded pig is now classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
In what ways is the appearance of a Bornean bearded pig different from that of other pig species?
Why is logging a problem for the Bornean bearded pig population?
What practices could contribute to sustaining the populations of Bornean and other bearded pigs?
Term Part of Speech Definition Encyclopedic Entry camphor tree Noun
(Cinnamomum camphora) large evergreen tree used to produce camphor, a waxy and flammable substance with industrial uses.
cloud forest Noun
wooded area, usually high-altitude, almost always covered by clouds and fog.
dipterocarp tree Noun
hundreds of species of large tree found in the rain forests of Southeast Asia and tropical Africa that produce a hard, oily seed.
type of tree or shrub with long, thick roots that grows in salty water.
female leader of a family.
to move from one place or activity to another.
natural region defined by upland slopes and large conifers.
indigenous, or from a specific geographic region.
unable to be continued at the same rate for a long period of time.
capable of being hurt.