Babirusa

Indonesian islands · wild pigs · unusual tusks

Curved tusks pierce upward. Male babirusas have enormous canine teeth that curve upwards and actually grow through the skin and flesh of their own snouts. These dramatic tusks make them look like they have swords sticking out of their faces.

Island dwellers of Indonesia. Babirusas live only on a few Indonesian islands including Sulawesi, Togian, Sula, and Buru. They are found nowhere else in the wild, making them special to that part of the world.

Deer-pigs with a nickname. These animals are sometimes called deer-pigs because of their unusual body shape that looks like a mix between a pig and a deer. They belong to the swine family along with regular pigs and hogs.

Recently split into species. Scientists used to think all babirusas were one species, but in 2002 they discovered there were actually several different species. The North Sulawesi babirusa is the most well-known kind.