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IUCN SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group

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IUCN SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group IUCN SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group 2016-2017 Report Erik Meijaard Chair Mission statement ii. The genetic collaboration with the University Erik Meijaard (1) The SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group (WPSG) has of Oxford to study Javan and Bawean warty pigs not yet defined a mission statement. Key com- continues. (KSR #43) Red List Authority Coordinator ponents of such a statement would be: (1) via- iii. Taxonomic research of Giant Forest hog and Kristin Leus (2) ble wild pig populations, (2) all wild pig taxa, Wild boar ongoing. (KSR #43) (3) threat management, (4) conservation breed- iv. Surveys of Common warthog and Ethiopian Location/Affiliation ing, (5) habitat management and (6) resolution warthogs in Kenya were done and articles are (1) Borneo Futures/Brunei Darussalam, of conflicts with people. Most wild pig species being published. (KSR #43) Indonesia are in decline, especially the various species Communications (2) and subspecies in Indonesia and the Philip- Scientific Department, Copenhagen Zoo, L Research activities pines. The WPSG uses a combination of strat- Denmark i. Publication Suiform Soundings. (KSR #43) egies to try reduce these population declines. ii. Publication of the first worldwide scale book Number of members This primarily includes (1) research on taxonomy and distribution (the cornerstone of any conser- on wild pigs. (KSR #43) 70 vation management); and (2) management of Conservation action captive and wild populations to prevent the ex- L Research activities Social networks tinction of the most threatened species. i. Two interview-based surveys were conducted Website: on Buru assessing the status of Moluccan https://sites.google.com/site/wildpigspecialist- Main activities by Key Priority Area Babirusa. (KSR #12) group/home (2016 & 2017) ii. We have conducted surveys in different pro- Barometer of life tected areas of Uganda to evaluate the status of L Red List the Giant Forest hog populations. (KSR #12) i. All wild pig species were assessed and Red L Technical advice List assessments completed, except for Sus i. Babirusa GSMP plans for and coordinates scrofa, which is pending. (KSR #1) implementation of ex situ contributions to the L Research activities conservation of Babirusa - collaboration with WAZA, PKBSI, EAZA, AZA and Asian Wild Cattle i. Java-wide surveys were conducted in 2017, SG (Anoa and Banteng). The first master plan was updating the previous survey conducted by produced, organisational structures for coopera- Semiadi and Meijaard in 2003. Javan warty pigs tive ex situ programs by Indonesian zoos were have disappeared from a number of previous established by Ministry and PKBSI, first breeding locations, and their survival in the wild seems and transfer recommendations in PKBSI were much threatened. Studies continue in an area in issued, training on husbandry and education for West Java, where the species was recently zoos and Sulawesi ex situ centers was conducted, hunted. Research findings will be written up in funding for Hairy Babirusa in situ surveys was 2018. (KSR #12) secured and Buru survey conducted, Ministry and PKBSI staff attended EAZA, AZA and WAZA conferences, newsletters produced. (KSR #27) Babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa), Vulnerable Photo: Chester Zoo Team of the Tamaraw Conservation Program and Chester Zoo setting a camera trap to find Oliver’s warty pig, as a preparation for a planned project on Oliver’s warty pigs Photo: Scott Wilson Acknowledgements Research activities: (1) status update of the Projected impact for the quadrennium We thank Alexandria Zoo, Audubon Zoo, Hairy Babirusa; (2) Javan warty pig status 2017-2020 surveys; (3) genetics of Javan and Bawean Cologne Zoo, Leipzig Zoo, Los Angeles Zoo, San We aim to safeguard the small populations of the warty pigs; (4) taxonomic research on Giant Antonio Zoological Society, San Diego Zoo, and two Critically Endangered suid species, Pygmy Forest hog and Wild boar; (5) Giant Forest hog Saint Louis Zoological Park for supporting the in hog and Visayan warty pig and continue the status in Uganda; (6) Warthogs research in situ small grants projects for Hairy Babirusa on captive breeding and release programs. The Kenya; (7) Red river hog ecological research in Buru and Maluku Islands and supporting patrols target for Pygmy hogs is to ensure a population of Sierra Leona; (8) Sulawesi ungulate project for the conservation of the babirusa in the the wild of at least 250 individuals. For Visayan (phylogenetic/taxonomic research); (9) Nantu Forest. We thank Antwerp Zoo, Centre warty pig, we still need to confirm that the Philippines pigs program 4: Mindoro warty pig for the Conservation of Tropical Ungulates, species survives in the wild, as no such informa- -survey 1 and 2; (10) comprehensive surveys for Chester Zoo, Global Wildlife Conservation, tion has been forthcoming. For all other species, all species of pigs in Philippines and Indonesia. Leipzig Zoo, Opel Zoo, Wilhelma Zoo, Hogle Zoo, we are still in the stage of assessing population Utah, and the Zoological Society of London for Scientific meetings: African Pigs Conference on status and trends, and we do not have conserva- supporting the implementation of the Global status of the five species of African suids by tion programs that can realistically aim to stabilize Species Management Plan for Babirusa. We country at the continent wide scale. populations in the wild. For Sus scrofa, we aim to thank Chester Zoo and Jersey Zoo for support- Bolster work at national scales revise the taxonomy of the current 18 subspecies. ing and coordinating conservation activities in Agreements: new MOU between WPSG, the Philippines, Indonesia and Assam. We thank Government of Assam and Jersey Zoo. Summary of activities (2016-2017) Copenhagen Zoo for their ongoing support of Conservation activities: EAZA Tapir and Suiform Key Priority Area ratio: 3/7 the activities of the Wild Pig Specialist Group Regional Collection Plan. Key Priority Areas addressed: and on-the-ground implementation of conser- Capacity building vation programs, and WCS and Fondation Segré • Barometer of life (5 activities) for supporting the Babirusa conservation Conservation activities: collaborative captive • Communications (2 activities) breeding of Javan warty pigs. project in North Sulawesi. We are indebted to • Conservation action (3 activities) ZGAP and Wroclaw Zoo which contributed Communications Main KSRs addressed: 1, 12, 27, 43 funding to the Javan warty pig, Bawean warty Communication: publication Suiform Soundings. KSR: Key Species Result pig, Visayan warty pig and Pygmy hog projects. Research activities: publication of the first And finally, we thank the Talarak Foundation in worldwide scale book on wild pigs. Negros as the driving force behind the local Conservation action implementation of Visayan warty pig captive Conservation activities: (1) Conservation Needs breeding, and the Cikananga Wildlife Center and Assessment and Planning Strategy with CPSG; Taman Safari as the local partners in the Javan (2) Babirusa Global Species Management warty pig, and Taman Safari also for hosting Plan; (3) release program for Javan warty pig; some of the Global Species Management (4) Philippine pigs programs 1, 2 and 3 of captive meetings. breeding of Visayan warty pigs; (5) collaborative captive breeding of Javan warty pigs. Targets for the quadrennium 2017-2020 Barometer of life Red List: Red List assessment of all pig species Babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa), female and offspring in captivity completed. Photo: Chester Zoo.
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