Zookeeper Joy introduces the Houston Zoo‘s babirusa, a name that means “pig-deer” in Malay.
Indonesian island natives, babirusas are legendary for their unique tusks, and are thought to be pig relatives, but could be more closely related to hippos or peccaries. With fewer than 4000 left in the wild, babirusas are documented as vulnerable or endangered by the IUCN. Regarding their personalities, Tetrapod Zoology reports:
Paul Irven (1996) wrote that captive babirusas are ‘sensitive and responsive … with an endearing character’. They are also said to exhibit excitement and enthusiasm on greeting familiar people, engaging in tail wagging, head shaking and jumping and running about.
Watch as 10-year-old Jambi enjoys a mud bath:
There are more zoo videos in the archives.
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