Meet the Buru babirusa: The mysterious deer-pig of Indonesia's rainforests

One Earth’s “Species of the Week” series highlights an iconic species that represents the unique biogeography of each of the 185 bioregions of the Earth.

In the dense tropical forests of Indonesia, an extraordinary animal roams the riverbanks and upland jungles—a wild pig that looks more like a mythical beast. With upward-curving tusks that pierce through its own snout and a shaggy golden coat, the Buru babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) is one of nature’s most unusual and elusive mammals.

Revered in ancient cave art and protected today under law, this “deer-pig” tells a story of deep time, cultural connection, and conservation urgency.

Native range spanning three Indonesian islands

The Buru babirusa is found only on the remote Indonesian islands of Buru, Mangole, and Taliabu. These islands lie within the Maluku region, far from the better-known jungles of Sumatra or Borneo. 

The species prefers tropical lowland and hill forests near riverbanks, swampy areas, and forest ponds rich in aquatic plants. Although babirusas were once more widespread in coastal lowlands, they are now largely confined to higher-elevation interior forests, where logging roads and poaching pressure have yet to reach full force.

Three species of a once singular genus

Until 2001, all babirusas were grouped under one species. But scientists have since recognized three extant species:

• Buru babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa)–golden-haired and found only on Buru, Mangole, and Taliabu.
• North Sulawesi babirusa (B. celebensis)–mostly hairless, found in Sulawesi’s northern peninsula.
• Togian babirusa (B. togeanensis)–slightly hairy, native to the Togian Islands in the Gulf of Tomini.

Each species has subtle differences in skull shape, hair coverage, and tusk structure, but all share the babirusa’s distinctive curling tusks and striking appearance.

Physical traits that set them apart

The Buru babirusa, also called the golden babirusa or hairy babirusa, is easily recognized by its long, thick, golden-brown body hair, a trait not shared by its mostly bald relatives. Males sport the babirusa’s iconic upward-curving tusks, which are upper canines that grow through the snout and arch back toward the forehead.

Females have much smaller or absent tusks, and all babirusas share the rare trait of having only one pair of teats.

A varied diet and an unusual way of eating

All babirusas are omnivores, with a diet that includes leaves, roots, fruit, and animal matter. They do not root in the ground like other pigs, due to lacking a rostral bone in the nose, but will dig in mud or soft earth. 

Their powerful jaws allow them to crush hard nuts with ease, making them well-adapted to the forest floor. Though their stomach anatomy includes an enlarged pouch that once suggested ruminant behavior, evidence shows they do not chew cud.

A forest forager with an important ecological role

As forest foragers, Buru babirusas help cycle nutrients and disperse seeds through their droppings. Their digging in soft soil can aerate the ground and aid in plant growth. 

Their varied diet also limits overgrowth of certain plants, helping maintain balance in the understory. As prey to large predators, they are a key part of their ecological web.

Behavior and social structure in the wild

Babirusas are diurnal and exhibit different social behavior by sex. Adult males are usually solitary, occasionally traveling in small groups of two or three. Females and their young often form larger groups, sometimes up to 84 individuals, though typically with no more than three adult females. 

Males use their tusks in fights for dominance, with upper tusks functioning defensively and lower ones offensively. Without regular activity to wear them down, tusks can grow long enough to pierce the animal’s own skull.

Reproduction and life cycle

Females reach sexual maturity between 5 and 10 months of age and give birth to just one or two piglets after a gestation period of about 150 to 157 days. Newborns weigh between 15 and 35 ounces (380 to 1,050 grams) and nurse for six to eight months. 

The Buru babirusa can live up to 24 years, but its slow reproductive rate makes population recovery difficult when numbers decline.

Ancient art reveal a deep cultural connection

The babirusa has long captured the imagination of the people who share its island home. One of the most stunning testaments to this connection is found in the limestone caves of southern Sulawesi. 

In Leang Timpuseng cave, a remarkable painting of a female babirusa was dated to at least 35,400 years ago, making it one of the oldest known figurative depictions of an animal in the world. Found alongside a 39,900-year-old hand stencil, these artworks reveal that early modern humans in Indonesia were engaging in meaningful artistic expression deep in prehistory. 

Created with blown pigment for handprints and detailed brushwork for the animals, the cave walls portray native Sulawesi species like the anoa and Celebes warty pig. Yet, the babirusa stands out, with its surreal tusks and unusual form, suggesting it held a special significance to the artists who painted it.

The threats babirusas face today

The Buru babirusa is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Despite legal protection in Indonesia, babirusas are threatened by poaching and habitat loss. Its habitat spans just 20,000 square kilometers across the three islands.

Logging has fragmented their forest homes, removing vegetation that once offered cover from hunters. As their range shrinks and access becomes easier, these animals face greater risk, especially since they reproduce slowly.

Current conservation status and what is being done

The Buru babirusa has been legally protected in Indonesia since 1931. Two reserves on Buru—Gunung Kapalat Mada and Waeapo—have been created in part to preserve its remaining forest habitat. 

Ongoing conservation efforts aim to limit logging, enforce hunting bans, and engage local communities in protecting this rare species. Education about its ecological and cultural value is key to ensuring that this golden-haired pig does not vanish from Indonesia’s forests.

As one of the most visually distinctive and ecologically important animals in Southeast Asia, the Buru babirusa stands as a powerful symbol of Indonesia’s rich and fragile biodiversity.

Support Nature Conservation