Rare Visayan warty pigs to debut at Pittsburgh Zoo

PITTSBURGH — Three little pigs have made it to a new exhibit at the Pittsburgh Zoo. However, these aren’t your common, everyday swine.

Visayan warty pigs are set to make their debut in the zoo’s newest exhibit, The Islands, later this month.

“They are an animal that we really want to conserve,” said Dr. Ginger Sturgeon, director of Animal Health.

The three pigs, all female, have been spending their time in a 30-day quarantine in order to get them acclimated to the zoo. The quarantine provides the pigs with a serene space and ample time to adjust to their new surroundings.

All three pigs were born at the San Diego Zoo and have spent time in Arizona before making their way up to Pittsburgh.

The oldest of the bunch, Pearl, is 9 years old. The other two, Calaya and Dakila, are both eight years old.

The pigs will be served a diet of fruits and vegetables.

Visayan warty pigs are critically endangered in their natural range due to loss of habitat and human contact. The zoo plans to bring a male in to mate with the females in the fall.

WPXI