Philippine warty pig

The Philippine warty pig is a unique and rare species found exclusively in the Philippines. It is one of four pig species native to the country, closely related to the Visayan warty pig, Mindoro warty pig, and Palawan bearded pig. The Philippine warty pig is distinguishable by its two pairs of warts, adorned with tufts of hair sprouting from the warts closest to its jaw. Locally, it is often referred to as "baboy damo" in Tagalog.

There are two subspecies of the Philippine warty pig: S. p. philippensis, which inhabits Luzon and adjacent islands, and S. p. mindanensis, which is found in Mindanao. Historically, these pigs roamed across various Philippine islands, but due to habitat loss and hunting, they are now primarily located in remote forest areas. Some reports mention sightings of wild pigs in other regions, but it remains unclear if these pigs belong to the S. cebifrons or S. philippensis species.

Genetically, the Philippine warty pig is closely related to the Bornean bearded pig and was once believed to be a subspecies of it. However, the Palawan bearded pig is now recognized as a separate species. Unfortunately, as their habitats shrink, Philippine warty pigs often come into contact with domestic pigs, leading to hybridization and genetic contamination.

The Philippine warty pig faces significant threats from habitat destruction, hunting, and interbreeding with domestic pigs, resulting in genetic dilution. These challenges complicate the conservation efforts for this unique species.