Focal species: Javan warty pig
Location: Indonesia
Start date: January 1st 2021
Major partners: Chester Zoo; Stiftung Artenschutz
Summary: The Javan warty pig (Sus verrucosus; hereafter ‘JWP’) is endemic to the Java,
Indonesia. Despite being categorised as Endangered by the IUCN Red List, the JWP is
unprotected by Indonesian law. Now, this species is restricted to a few small isolated
areas on Java with elevation below about 800m asl and most of which are outside the
conservation area. Conflict cannot be avoided because this species is considered an agricultural pest by the community. This species is threatened by hunting activities with the aim of eradicating pests, hobbies, comercials, and pig-dog fight and also hybridization pressure with Sus scrofa.
One of the small isolated areas that remaining habitat of JWP is Batukaras, West
Java Indonesia. With vegetation brush and patches of secondary forest, almost all of pigs
here were JWP. A multidisciplinary project are build to secure JWP in Batukaras with
several programs to protect habitats, populations, and reduce Human-JWP conflicts. We
will secure one area where Javan warty pigs still occur, make it secure for them by
removing Sus scrofa and putting in community conservation measures, support the
communities against potential damage by pigs, and combine in situ with ex situ
measures by rescuing pure warty pigs from hunting, and when successful, being
replicable to other sites. Our goal is to secure the survival of the Javan warty pig, to raise
its profile with local people and government, and ultimately down-list it from
Endangered to Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Comments