Piggy has been taking care of her piglets well!  

Two new babies have joined our Lands of Change family! Last week, our 9-year-old North Sulawesi babirusa resident named Piggy, welcomed a male and female piglet, marking her fourth round of babies at our Zoo.  

Meru, the father, and Piggy were specifically paired together to sustain the population of North Sulawesi babirusas in Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited organizations. Native to Indonesia, the species is now considered vulnerable with declining populations because of threats like logging, iron ore mining and hunting.  

This is exactly why every babirusa birth is conservation win! Our Zoo is so proud to contribute toward the population of North Sulawesi babirusas under human care to ensure the species can thrive in the long run.  

“The keeper team is really excited that Piggy is a mom again!” said Lands of Change Animal Curator Michelle Johnston. “She is a natural.” 

Like with all of our babirusa births, our animal care team is taking a hands-off approach with the little ones, letting Piggy mother her babies in a behind-the-scenes space. So far, the brother and sister duo are in good health!  

Once the piglets have grown a bit, we will first introduce them to Meru, then the rest of their babirusa brothers. We likely won’t discover their genders until the piglets are around three months old. Interestingly, though Piggy has had many litters over the years, she has only had male babies! 

Last year, Piggy’s piglets met the rest of the group through a slow process.

Stay tuned over the next few months as we share more updates on the piglets. 

Brevard Zoo is an independent, not-for-profit organization that receives no recurring government funding for our operating costs. Your generous support enables us to continue to serve our community and continue our vital animal wellness, education and conservation programs.