Four critically endangered Visayan warty pigs – lovingly named Tré, Diosa, Babs, and Penelope – have moved into a brand-new, custom-built pig palace at Jersey Zoo, giving islanders the chance to get up close with one of the world’s rarest hog species.
The new pig house, which opened to the public on Friday, features a large den and paddock, multiple stalls, and holding yards, giving the hogs more space to roam around.
Pigs in peril
Visayan warty pigs were once found across several islands in the Philippines but are now found in just two: Panay and Negros.
Their numbers have declined due to habitat destruction and hunting that have pushed them to the brink of extinction.
Rebecca Brewer, CEO at Durrell, said: “After a two-month settling-in period we are delighted to be able to welcome visitors to see Tré, Diosa, Babs and Penelope in their new home.
“This new house gives the pigs more outdoor space to roam, as well as provides more opportunity for our visitors to get up close with the species.”
The opening coincides with the 30th anniversary of Durrell’s conservation work with another endangered pig species: the pygmy hog in India.
Standing about 25cm tall and weighing between six and nine kilograms, pygmy hogs were believed to be extinct until a small group was discovered in 1971.
Since then, Durrell has worked with conservation partners to restore their habitat and reintroduce captive-bred hogs into the wild.
Between 1996 and 2024, a total of 877 pygmy hogs were bred in captivity and released into four protected grasslands in Assam.
Ms Brewer said the programme was the first of its kind in India and remains a key part of Durrell’s conservation work.
She said: “Our conservation breeding and reintroduction programme with this species was the first of its kind in India and one we are incredibly proud of.
“Through our work over the last 30 years, we have helped establish a wild population for this incredibly rare pig and provided them with a future.”
Projects made possible with support
While Jersey Zoo’s new pig house was made possible with the help of funding from the Government’s Fiscal Stimulus Fund – a money pot intended to help stimulate the economy post-covid – fundraisers both large and small remain vital to continue the charity’s work.
To mark the anniversary, a group of 20 islanders will take part in Durrell’s first-ever Founder’s Trek, walking 60km from Gerald Durrell’s birthplace in West Bengal to the grasslands of Assam, home to the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme.
The trek includes camping, hiking, and views of Kanchenjunga, the world’s third-highest mountain, while raising funds for conservation efforts.
The Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme is a collaboration between Durrell, the IUCN/SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group, Assam Forest Department, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Government of India), EcoSystems-India, and Aaranyak.