Part III: Conservation and Management426
(Miller et al. 2016) and in 2004 descendants from Negros origin
individuals went to Rotterdam Zoo (Przybylska 2014). These
formed the start for the SSP and EEP programmes for these spe-
cies in, respectively, AZA and EAZA. In 2009 the Talarak Rescue
and Conservation Breeding Center of the Talarak Foundation
on Negros was started (www.talarak.cz/en), which currently has
a sizable population and successful breeding of Visayan warty
pigs (R. Wirth, personal communication).
No recent numerical information was available from the
centres in the Philippines, but all centres are successful in breed-
ing the species and there have been recent births by wild-born
parents (R. Wirth, personal communication). Table 37.1 shows
the status of the populations in EAZA and AZA. The Philippines,
and thus the EAZA and AZA populations, suffer from a low
number of founders, especially if the Negros and Panay stock
will need to be kept separate indefinitely. Considering the
precarious status of the species in the wild and the continu-
ing threat of hybridization, it remains to be seen how many
extra founders will be able to be added to the population in the
Philippines. From a genetic point of view one may well end up
being forced to make the best of what is available. In EAZA and
AZA the species reproduces well and does not present large
husbandry challenges. However, both regions are struggling
to find more holders for the species, so that the population by
necessity must be kept stable at its current size. Keeping larger
populations would allow for better retention of gene diversity.
In addition, limiting reproduction while still keeping this social
species in appropriate social groups also represents a consid-
erable challenge. Luckily, the species lends itself well to being
kept in mixed-species settings, such as with spotted deer (Rusa
alfredi) (Forsyth 2016) or Indian rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis)
(Figure 37.2), which might bring new opportunities for extraholdings. In both regions the TAGs have designated the Visayan
warty pig as a priority species for conservation and EAZA and
AZA member institutions are encouraged to include it in their
collections. Non-range state populations of the species also have
the important task of providing funds and professional exper-
tise for the Visayan Warty Pig Conservation Project and the
Philippine ex-situ centres. Both the EEP and SSP programmes
encourage their members to contribute and a number of zoos on
both sides of the Atlantic are loyal supporters and have become
key conservation partners of the Philippine Biodiversity
Conservation Foundation, with cross-fertilization between work
for the pigs and for the other threatened fauna of the Philippines
(http://pbcfi.org.ph/partners/international-partners).Pygmy Hog (Porcula salvania)
With an estimated wild population size of less than 250
individuals (http://pygmyhog.org/), the pygmy hog (Porcula
salvania) is currently listed as Critically Endangered on the
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Narayan et al. 2008b).
The pygmy hog prefers undisturbed, dense, tall grasslands typi-
cal of early successional riverine communities. Now believed to
have historically occurred in a narrow belt of such grasslands
along the south of the Himalayan foothills, the species became
known from only a few locations in northern West Bengal and
northwestern Assam and was eventually feared extinct. After its
rediscovery in 1971, continued habitat loss eventually resulted
in the species only remaining in a few locations in and around
Manas National Park (Narayan et al. 2008a; Meijaard et al.
2011). Survival of the pygmy hog is linked to survival of their
fertile, early successional grasslands, which unfortunately are
desirable agricultural areas for humans. The largest threat toFigure 37.2 Visayan warty pigs (Sus
cebifrons) sharing an enclosure with
Indian rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis)
in Planckendael (Belgium) (photo by
Planckendael/Jonas Verhulst). (A black
and white version of this figure will
appear in some formats. For the colour
version, please refer to the plate section.).03913:02:26