Part II: Species Accounts82
island due to hunting pressure. This species seems particularly
vulnerable to hunting dogs and this poses a serious threat to the
local population (Selmier 1983; Ito 2003; Ito et al. 2005; Akbar
et al. 2007). Other babirusa species are also reported to be able to
swim and submerge in fresh water (e.g. Melisch 1994).Parasites and Diseases
There is only one description of disease in the report of
Selmier (1983). Probably in the early 1970s, many Togian
babirusa died due to a serious contagious skin disease. There
has been concern about this infection including parasitic dis-
eases between the babirusa and other species, in particular
domestic animals.Status in the Wild
A field survey to determine the accurate population size and den-
sity of Togian babirusa has still not been carried out. However,
the total population in 1978 was estimated to be between 500 and
1000 individuals (Selmier 1983). Based on questionnaires with
local farmers in 2001, the population size ranged from less than
100 to more than 1000 (Akbar et al. 2007). Another estimation of
population size was at about 500 individuals (Ito 2008). During
the survey in 2001, a strong decline in the population from the
previous census period between 1995 and 2000 was not recorded
(Akbar et al. 2007). Another questionnaire survey conducted in
2007 showed that 39.9 per cent of respondents recognized the
decrease of this species, estimating the population at less than
100 individuals on Malenge Island only (Ito 2008). The popula-
tion trend of this species has been described as Decreasing in the
IUCN Red List (Macdonald et al. 2016). Subsequently, it is dif-
ficult to discover positive factors to contribute to the restoration
of the population and degraded habitat in the Togian Islands.
Rather, much more remains to be improved (M. Ito, personal
observation during public awareness campaigns in 2009; Ito
2010). It is repeatedly reported that the population size of this
species is susceptible to habitat loss and degradation due to forest
clearance and forest fires, to disturbance by human activities, and
to predation by dogs (Ito et al. 2005; Akbar et al. 2007; Ito 2008,
2010; Meijaard et al. 2011; Macdonald et al. 2016). According
to the Forestry Statistics of Indonesia (Ministry of Forestry
2013), 378 individuals were recorded as the regional population
of this species in Taningkola, Wakai Tua (northeastern Batudaka
Island) in 2012. In Urulepe village (central Togian Island), 110
individuals in 2010, 37 individuals in 2011, and 44 individuals
in 2012 were listed, respectively (Ministry of Forestry 2013). We
believe that little has changed from the last assessment in 2008
and the population of Togian babirusa is still decreasing.
Nominally, all species of babirusa were protected by
Indonesian laws in 1931, during the Dutch colonial period
(Setyodirwiryo 1959; Jepson & Whittaker 2002; Peraturan
Menteri Kehutanan Republik Indonesia 2013). The babirusa has
been listed in Appendix I of CITES since 1982. Among the three
extant species, Babyrousa togeanensis is the most threatened
and listed by the IUCN Red List as Endangered (Macdonald
et al. 2016). The Togian Islands were first suggested as a prior-
ity for protection in 1984 as some form of marine conservationand tourism protected area (Cannon & Surjadi 2004). After a
long period of 20 years, in 2004, Indonesian government estab-
lished the Togian Islands as a National Park (Taman Nasional
Kepulauan Togean), covering a marine area of 336,773 ha and a
terrestrial area of 25,832 ha including the whole area of Togian
babirusa habitat (Akbar et al. 2007; Macdonald et al. 2016).
Despite these regulations for many years, local people’s aware-
ness of wildlife conservation remains low and the species con-
tinues to remain threatened.
As mentioned earlier, the reticulated python (Python reticu-
latus) is the only natural predator of this species, but even the
young babirusa seem rarely to be included in the diet of the snake.
Undoubtedly, the most serious threat to Togian babirusa is
human pressure. With a few exceptions in a couple of villages of
Togian Island (Akbar et al. 2007), there has been no demand for
babirusa meat from the local people because of their religious
beliefs. However, various human activities including logging
and agricultural expansion have affected the forest ecosystem
and wildlife. Commercial logging has been illegal in the Togian
Islands since 1996 and so current forest clearing is carried out
by local farmers to grow cash crops, mostly coconut, cacao, and
cloves (Surjadi & Supriatna 1998; Akbar et al. 2007). According
to the questionnaire survey conducted in 2007 on Malenge
Island, almost all (94.9 per cent) respondents were eager to
expand agricultural land in future, willing to increase their
harvests or incomes (Ito 2008; Ito et al. 2008). Even after estab-
lishment of the National Park in 2004, expansion of the agricul-
tural land into the forest has continued in some locations. As
a consequence, since the original forest habitat was converted
to agricultural use, the Togian babirusa has frequently visited
cultivated land to raid crops.
In the coconut palm plantation, local farmers have recog-
nized the Tonkean macaque as a serious pest, but on the contrary
have shown considerable tolerance toward Togian babirusa. This
depends on the kinds of crops cultivated. On Malenge Island,
farmers believe that this species causes the most serious damage
to the crop second only to the Tonkean macaque (Ito 2008; Ito
et al. 2008). Moreover, crop raid by livestock, mainly cows and goats,
has also been recorded and so is not attributable to babirusa only.
Babirusa hunting was approved and even encouraged by the
Provincial Office of Department of Agriculture in the 1970s.
Spears, snares, large trap holes and poison were all used to hunt
this species (Akbar et al. 2007). Unfortunately, snares are still
used in the crop field and forest edges to hunt rusa deer, but in
reality also to control Togian babirusa. Skulls and other bones of
this species were actually found within a subsistence farm (Ito
et al. 2005).
Another cause that affected this species negatively has been
the drought following the El Niño/Southern Oscillation of
1997–1998 that dried up the forest habitat. Even worse, Malenge
Island was ravaged by fire, which consumed two-thirds of the
forest and mixed gardens in April 1998. Consequently, logging
and repeated disasters impacted on the diversity of fruit-bearing
trees in the primary forest and caused significant damage to the
babirusa’s habitat (Ito et al. 2005; Akbar et al. 2007).
Considering the protection of the habitat, priority monitor-
ing areas include the eastern part of Batudaka, the central part.01012:33:30