Bearded Pig

The Bornean bearded pig, or simply the bearded pig, is distinguished by its unique beard and occasionally tasseled tail. This intriguing animal belongs to the genus Sus and inhabits the dense rainforests and mangrove forests of Southeast Asia, including regions such as Sumatra, Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, and smaller islands like Tawi-Tawi.

These pigs are social animals that live in family groups. They can begin reproducing as early as 18 months and have the capacity to interbreed with other members of the Suidae family.

There are two main subspecies of the bearded pig. The first is S. b. barbatus, predominantly found in Borneo, and the second is S. b. oi, known as the western bearded pig, which inhabits Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. However, recent genetic studies suggest that the western bearded pig should be limited to Sumatra, while those from Borneo and the Malay Peninsula should be classified under the nominate subspecies. Additionally, the Palawan bearded pig (Sus ahoenobarbus), once considered a subspecies, might deserve its own species status due to distinct genetic and physical differences.

In terms of conservation, the San Diego Zoo made history as the first zoo in the Western Hemisphere to successfully breed bearded pigs. As of January 2016, these pigs could be found in various zoos around the world, including London Zoo, Berlin Zoo, Gladys Porter Zoo, National Zoo of Malaysia, Singapore Zoo, Capital of Texas Zoo, and Southwick's Zoo. Unfortunately, some of these pigs have been euthanized due to old age, raising concerns that the species might soon disappear from European and American zoos altogether.