The Los Angeles Zoo celebrates the birth of two babirusas and two pair of Tadjik markhors.

On May 10, 2010, two babirusas, a species of the pig family, were born.  One of the piglets needed special care and is being hand reared in the nursery.  The other is with its parents. 

Hailing from the moist, swampy forests and thickets of tropical rain forests on the Sulawesi, Togian and Baru Islands of Indonesia, babirusas are swift runners and good swimmers.  Preferring to live near bodies of water, they’ve been known to swim across rivers and seas to reach small islands.

The natives say that the tusks are like the antlers of a deer, hence the name babirusa, which means “hog-deer” in Malay.  The males’ lower tusks are used to fight rivals for females and territory.  The upper tusks appear to have little use as weapons, but instead serve as protection for their eyes by deflecting the blows of the opponent. 

Unlike other wild pigs, the babirusas’ litter size is small.  Measuring six to eight inches at birth, the piglets are a solid gray or brown gray, not striped like most wild pigs when they’re born.  Hunting, habitat loss and commercial logging have posed a threat to this vulnerable species. 

On May 24, 2010, the first Tadjik markhors, a male and female were born at the L.A. Zoo.  Less than a week later, on May 29, a second pair of markhors, also a brother and sister, were born.  Visitors can see these boisterous markhors, an endangered species of wild goat native to Asia, alongside their parents in the markhor exhibit.

The most distinct characteristic of the Tadjik markhor is their horns.  The male’s tightly curled, corkscrew-like horns may reach up to 57 inches.  Females’ horns twist in the same manner, though they are thinner and flatter and only reach eight to 10 inches in length. 

Living at elevations of 1,900 to 12,000 feet, markhors are adept rock climbers from the start.  Boasting stocky legs, robust forequarters and broad hooves that provide traction, these wild goats are built for the rocky terrain they inhabit. 

Native to the arid Himalaya Mountains of northern Afghanistan and southern Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, this species is critically endangered. Markhors are threatened because of habitat loss resulting from competition with humans, degradation of habitat by livestock and aggressive hunting.

The babirusas and markhors will be available to the media on June 10, 2010 at 9:15 AM.  The babirusa will be bottle fed.  Please arrive early.  To request photos or RSVP, please call 323-644-4273.