The distributioon of Celebes wild boars has been greatly increased by humans, because these pigs were introduced to Halmahera, Flores and Timor when they become part of the local menu. On Roti, they were bred as domestic animals, but probably as a hybrid with Asian pigs. On Moluccas, the Aru Islands, and New Guinea (where they are known as Papua Pigs), piglets of this species have been reported to have actually been raised by the native women on their own breast milk! These pigs live half-tame and half-wild, voluntarily returning to the settlement at night when they are signaled by different drum signals of various owners.
There is no information on the communication habits of the S. celebensis. However, as mammals, it is likely that they utilize some combination of visual, accoustic, tactile, and chemical communication.
Communication Channels: tactile
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Sus celebensis is a common species, and is not listed by the IUCN. It is locally abundant, and cannot be regarded as seriously threatened throughout its range at the present time. Budiarso states that he recorded 2,317 pigs harvested in the regions of Northern Sulawesi during 12 months in 1990 to 1991, and found that females are more susceptible to these commercial hunting operations which may make heavily exploited populations vulnerable. With the expansion of human settlements , S. celebensis is threatened by a combination of habitat loss and genetic contamiantion and/or disease through increased contact with imported domestic pigs Sus scrofa.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: near threatened
There are no know adverse affects that S. celebensis has on human economies. It might be speculated, however, that in agricultural areas, these pigs might present a problem as crop pests.
Wild piglets that are caught by villagers in Sulawesi are kept and are usually raised for slaughter for eating or sold at the local market. The Minahasa people consider wild pig meat to be superior to the domestic pork and are willing to pay 20 to 50% more for it. However, resources are insufficient to enforce controls on hunting and there are reports that organized commercial hunting is continuing even on designated reserves and national parks. Brief surveys of three villages markets in northeast Sulawesi concluded that about 2 to 20 wild pigs per week were being brought by these commercial hunters and slaughtered by butchers when needed.
Positive Impacts: food
No information could be found on the specific ecosystem roles of S. celebensis. However, it is likely that their foraging behavior has some impact on local plant and insect communities. Because pigs root, it is likely that they help to aerate the soil.
Ecosystem Impact: soil aeration
Most feeding activity occurs during the daylight hours, with more activity in the early morning and late afternoon. Celebes wild boars are omnivorous and their diet consists of roots, fruits, leaves, shoots, carrion, and insects.
Animal Foods: carrion ; insects; terrestrial non-insect arthropods
Plant Foods: leaves; roots and tubers; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit
Other Foods: fungus
Primary Diet: omnivore
Sus celebensis is found in the lower east portion of the oriental region and the upper west portion of the Australian region. Sus celebensis is common in the northern, central and eastern Sulawesi Island. Available evidence supports that this species formerly occured thoughout Sulawesi, as well as the neighboring islands of Selayer, Muna, Buton, Peleng, Lembeh and the Togain Islands. The species is now scarce in Southern Sulawesi and may also be extinct on the neraby Selayar due to the virtual deforestation of these areas. Wild pigs referred to as feral S. celebensis have been extensively introduced in Indonesia on the islands of Halmahera, Flores, Timor, Lendu, Simeuleu, and Nias Islands, and the domesticated forms of S. celebensis can be seen on the islands of Roti and Savur.
Biogeographic Regions: oriental (Native ); australian (Introduced , Native )
Other Geographic Terms: island endemic
Celebes wild boars are reported to occur in a wide variety of habitats on the Indonesian Islands, including rainforests, swamps, high grassland terrains, and agricultural areas. They are found at altitudes up to moss forest at about 2300 m, but they prefer valleys.
Range elevation: 2300 (high) m.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest
Wetlands: swamp
Other Habitat Features: agricultural
Data are lacking on longevity in the wild, but most members of the genus Sus are thought to live a maximum of 10 years in the wild. Rarely has this species been raised in captivity outside Sulawesi, and as far as it is known, pure-bred animals have never been produced in captivity. The longevity of this species in captivity is greater than 9 years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 10 years.
Range lifespan
Status: captivity: more than 9 (high) years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 10.0 years.
The coat of S. celebensis is often black in color with yellow and/or white hairs intermixed. Some specimens have been known to be reddish/brown. The ventral side lightens to a creamy off-white with age. There is always a dark dorsal stripe, and a yellow band that encircles the snout. Distinctive tufts of hair are found on the forehead. Piglets are born with five dark brown and six light horizontal stripes along the length of their bodies, which tends to go away after about 6 months of age.
Adult males develop three pairs of facial warts. The preorbital pair is the largest, but these do not reach their full size until the pigs are at least 8 years old. All the warts become larger with age.
The backs of Sulawesi warty pigs are short and slightly convex. These animals have relatively short legs, and a long tail that is simply tufted. Body length has been recored at 80 to 130 cm, and shoulder height at 70 cm. Adult males are larger than sows, averaging 60 cm at the shoulder. These swine can weigh any where from 40 to 70 kg. Recent forms are larger than the sub-fossil remains found in caves in Southern Sulawesi.
Range mass: 40 to 70 kg.
Range length: 80 to 130 cm.
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger; ornamentation
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
The only known predator of this species is humans through hunting. It is likely that there are other predators, however, as the striped pattern of young pigs is typically interpreted as a form of camouflage.
Known Predators:
Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic
There have not been any studies of this behavior at this time but, it is part of the action plan proposed by the IUCN.
Although information is lacking on this species, the mating system of the genus Sus is typically polygynous. Males are reported to compete for access to females, and are generally unable to effectively secure access to mates until they reach their full adult size. Adult males may have reproductive access to as many as 10 females, but around 3 is more typical. It is reasonable to assume that S. celebensis is similar to congeners in mating system.
Although not reported in the literature, one might speculate that the warts found on males of this species, as secondary sexual characteristics, play some role in reproduction. These may be attractive to females, or they may function in competition between males.
Mating System: polygynous
Breeding may occur at any time in the year, but there is a peak in February, with most births occurring in April or May. Females build large nests made of grasses, leaves, branches and twigs, piled over a shallow depression of two meters. Unlike most ungulates, members of the genus Sus give brith to their offspring in a nest, where the offspring remain for some time.
Although many important details on the reproduction of S. celebensis are lacking, the remainder of the genus Sus has well documented reproductive patterns. Females are reported to have an estrous cycle of approximately 21 days, during which the females are only sexually receptive for 2 or 3 days. Gestation ranges from 100 to 140 days. Piglets weigh from 500 to 1,500 g at birth, and are weaned in 3 to 4 months. It is likely that S. celebensis falls within this range of variation.
In the genus Sus, young often become independent of the mother prior to the birth of her next litter. However, female young may have a prolonged association with their mother. Females usually give birth about once per year.
Within the genus Sus, sexual maturity may be reached by a few months of age. However, most females don't breed until they are about 18 months old. Males, although capable of breeding at younger ages, are usually not able to secure access to mates until they reach their full adult size, around the age of 5 years.
Breeding interval: These animals probably produce only one litter per year.
Breeding season: This species does not have a strict breeding season, although most matings occur in February..
Range number of offspring: 1 to 8.
Average number of offspring: 2-3.
Average gestation period: 4-5 months.
Average weaning age: 3-4 months.
Range time to independence: 1 (high) years.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 18 months.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization ; viviparous
Parental behavior in this species is not well documented. As part of the IUCN action plan, this area still needs to be looked in to and studied in more detail.
In spite of lack of specific information on S. celebensis, it is possible to draw inferences about the species from patterns common in the genus and in other mammals.
Unlike many artiodactyls, pigs are born in a nest. They are somewhat altricial compared to other ungulates. The mother cares for her young, providing them with food (milk), protection, and necessary grooming. All that young pigs learn about life, they learn from their mothers. Male pigs are reported to be solitary except near the time of mating, and so do not typically participate in parental care.
In many species of Sus, females are known to maintain relationships with their mothers. Although not specifically reported for S. celebensis, it is possible that such relationships occur. These extended relationships may be responsible for the association of multiple females with their young which are sometimes seen. In such associations, females of unknown relatedness come together after their young are weaned to form larger social groups.
Parental Investment: no parental involvement; altricial ; pre-fertilization (Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Protecting: Female); post-independence association with parents
The Celebes warty pig (Sus celebensis), also called Sulawesi warty pig or Sulawesi pig, is a species in the pig genus (Sus) that lives on Sulawesi in Indonesia. It survives in most habitats and can live in altitudes of up to 2,500 m (8,000 ft). It has been domesticated and introduced to a number of other islands in Indonesia.
The Celebes warty pig is a medium-sized pig, and quite variable in size and appearance. Although a number of subspecies have been recognised, it is now regarded as a monotypic taxon. It is the only pig species that has been domesticated apart from the wild boar; being semi-domesticated may have had an influence on the variability of its appearance.[2] This pig has a head-and-body length of between 80 and 130 cm (30 and 50 in) and a long tail, with males generally being larger than females. The back is rounded and the legs short. The colour is greyish-black, sometimes tinged with red or yellow on the flanks. There are three pairs of facial warts and a fringe of pale bristles on the snout and more bristles on the cheeks. The crown and nape are topped by a short crest of dark bristles, while a dark mid-dorsal stripe extends from the crest towards the tufted tail.[3] Young pigs have longitudinal stripes, but these fade as the piglets grow.[2]
The Celebes warty pig occurs in Sulawesi, being plentiful in central, eastern and south-eastern parts of the island but uncommon in the northeastern and southern parts.[1] It also occurs naturally on the nearby smaller islands of Buton, Muna, Kabeana, Peleng, Lembeh and the Togian Islands. Besides this, it has been domesticated and introduced to various other islands, has hybridised with Sus scrofa, and has become feral in some places, giving rise to a number of different pig populations.[1] It inhabits various habitat types including rainforest, swamp, cultivated land and grassland, at altitudes up to 2,500 m (8,000 ft).[1]
This pig tends to move around in small groups of up to nine individuals, led by a dominant male and including several females and their offspring. Foraging takes place mainly in the early morning and the evening; the diet consists mainly of roots, shoots, leaves and fallen fruit, but also includes carrion, invertebrates and small vertebrates. Breeding takes place throughout the year. Gestation periods are probably between four and five months, and litter sizes can be up to eight, but in one study, averaged about two.[2] The most important natural predator is the reticulated python.[1]
The chief threats faced by this pig are an expanding human population, deforestation, with conversion of the land to agricultural use, and hunting for human consumption. Even in areas such as national parks, where the species is protected, hunting still occurs and the meat is traded in local markets. This over-hunting and loss of habitat has led the International Union for Conservation of Nature to assess the pig's conservation status as being "near threatened".[1]
A cave painting of a Celebes warty pig in the Leang Tedongnge cave on Sulawesi has been dated to an age of at least 45,500 years ago, making it the oldest known cave painting.[4] A layer of calcite over the painting was dated using uranium-series isotope dating to give a minimum age for the painting. The image was made using red ochre, and is accompanied by images of human hands made by blowing ochre on to the cave wall around the hands. The painting depicts a male pig, including the male's pair of facial warts. It was first seen by Westerners in 2017.[5]
At one point in time there may have been a portion of the land which shifted upward resulted in increased diversification. The researchers found out that the Sulawesi who roam the island today were preceded by other ancestors who once expanded from the innermost area of the island to the outermost part of it.
Frantz, L., Rudzinski, A., Nugraha, A., Evin, A., Burton, J., Hulme-Beaman, A., Linderholm, A., Barnett, R., Vega, R., Irving-Pease, E. K., Haile, J., Allen, R., Leus, K., Shephard, J., Hillyer, M., Gillemot, S., van den Hurk, J., Ogle, S., Atofanei, C., Thomas, M. G., … Larson, G. (2018). Synchronous diversification of Sulawesi's iconic artiodactyls driven by recent geological events. Proceedings. Biological sciences, 285(1876), 20172566. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.2566
The Celebes warty pig (Sus celebensis), also called Sulawesi warty pig or Sulawesi pig, is a species in the pig genus (Sus) that lives on Sulawesi in Indonesia. It survives in most habitats and can live in altitudes of up to 2,500 m (8,000 ft). It has been domesticated and introduced to a number of other islands in Indonesia.
