Philippine Warty Pig
Encyclopedia
The Philippine Warty Pig, Sus philippensis, is one of four known pig
species
endemic to the Philippines
. The other three endemic species are the Visayan Warty Pig
(S. cebifrons), Mindoro Warty Pig (S. oliveri) and the Palawan Bearded Pig
(S. ahoenobarbus), also being rare members of the Suidae
family. Philippine Warty Pigs have two pairs of warts, with a tuft of hair extending outwards from the warts closest to the jaw.
of the Philippine Warty Pig:
, Biliran
, Samar
, Leyte
, Mindoro
, Mindanao
, Jolo
, Polillo
, Catanduanes
, and possibly other islands. Moreover, it was formerly found in most habitats (from sea level to up to 2800 m) but is now confined to remote forests due to loss of habitat and heavy hunting by noose traps or trigger set bullets.
Wild pigs have been reported in Bohol
and Sibuyan, although it is unclear whether these populations are S. cebifrons or S. philippensis.
(Sus barbatus), and in fact was once thought to be a subspecies (i.e., S. b. philippensis) like the Palawan
Bearded Pig (S. b. ahoenobarbus). The Palawan Bearded Pig is now also frequently classified not as a subspecies, but as a separate Philippine endemic pig species, S. ahoenobarbus.
s (Sus scrofa domestica) (the domesticated variety of the non-endemic Eurasian Wild Boar
), and hybridization between the two species has been reported. Accordingly, genetic contamination of Philippine Warty Pig stock is a real and irreversible problem.
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
endemic to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The other three endemic species are the Visayan Warty Pig
Visayan warty pig
The Visayan Warty Pig, Sus cebifrons, is a critically endangered species of pig. The Visayan warty pig is endemic to two of the Visayan Islands in the central Philippines, and is threatened by habitat loss, food shortages and hunting - these are the leading causes of the Visayan Warty Pig's status...
(S. cebifrons), Mindoro Warty Pig (S. oliveri) and the Palawan Bearded Pig
Palawan Bearded Pig
The Palawan Bearded Pig is a species of pig endemic to the Philippines, where they can only be found on the archipelago of islands formed by Balabac, Palawan and the Calamian Islands...
(S. ahoenobarbus), also being rare members of the Suidae
Suidae
Suidae is the biological family to which pigs belong. In addition to numerous fossil species, up to sixteen extant species are currently recognized, classified into between four and eight genera...
family. Philippine Warty Pigs have two pairs of warts, with a tuft of hair extending outwards from the warts closest to the jaw.
Subspecies
There are at least three recognized subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Philippine Warty Pig:
- S. p. philippensis (from LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
and nearby islands) - S. p. oliveri (from MindoroMindoroMindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
) (this subspecies has also been listed as a distinct species, S. oliveri, Mindoro Warty Pig). - S. p. mindanensis (from MindanaoMindanaoMindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
)
Distribution and habitat
In general, the original distribution of S. philippensis covered the western islands of the Philippines, while the original distribution of S. cebifrons covered the central and eastern islands. Specifically, the range of Philippine Warty Pigs included LuzonLuzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, Biliran
Biliran
In 1945 liberated by the Philippine Commonwealth forces of the 9th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was landed in Biliran with the local guerrilla forces by the attack of the Japanese troops from the island during the Battle of Biliran during World War II.-Conversion:On April...
, Samar
Samar
Samar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...
, Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, Mindoro
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
, Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
, Jolo
Jolo
Jolo may refer to:* Jolo Island* Jolo, Sulu* Jolo, West Virginia* Jolo is also the nickname of Swedish author Jan Olof Olsson....
, Polillo
Polillo
Polilio may refer to:* Polillo Islands, an island group in Quezon Province, the Philippines** Polillo Island, the main island of the Polillo Island Group*** Polillo, Quezon, a municipality on the island...
, Catanduanes
Catanduanes
Catanduanes is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Virac and the province lies to the east of Camarines Sur across Maqueda Channel. As of 2007, the population of the province is 232,757 people.-Etymology:"Isla de Cobos" was Catanduanes' first...
, and possibly other islands. Moreover, it was formerly found in most habitats (from sea level to up to 2800 m) but is now confined to remote forests due to loss of habitat and heavy hunting by noose traps or trigger set bullets.
Wild pigs have been reported in Bohol
Bohol
Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines...
and Sibuyan, although it is unclear whether these populations are S. cebifrons or S. philippensis.
Genetic Relation to other Pigs (Suidae)
The Philippine Warty Pig is closely related to the Bearded PigBearded Pig
The bearded pig , also known as the Bornean bearded pig, is a species of pig. 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—where it inhabits rainforests and...
(Sus barbatus), and in fact was once thought to be a subspecies (i.e., S. b. philippensis) like the Palawan
Palawan
Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
Bearded Pig (S. b. ahoenobarbus). The Palawan Bearded Pig is now also frequently classified not as a subspecies, but as a separate Philippine endemic pig species, S. ahoenobarbus.
Hybridization
With loss of its natural habitat from deforestation and uncontrolled logging and hunting, Philippine Warty Pigs have been forced into close contact with domestic pigDomestic pig
The domestic pig is a domesticated animal that traces its ancestry to the wild boar, and is considered a subspecies of the wild boar or a distinct species in its own right. It is likely the wild boar was domesticated as early as 13,000 BC in the Tigris River basin...
s (Sus scrofa domestica) (the domesticated variety of the non-endemic Eurasian Wild Boar
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
), and hybridization between the two species has been reported. Accordingly, genetic contamination of Philippine Warty Pig stock is a real and irreversible problem.