Babirusa (Babyrousa) – The Most Unusual Pig
This unique creature doesn't resemble the typical pig we're familiar with. It has a small head, short ears, a tiny snout, an arched back, and long, slender legs. But the most striking feature is its two pairs of large, backward-curved tusks. Their exact purpose remains a mystery, with zoologists suggesting they might be a secondary sexual characteristic of males.
Babirusas are of medium size, with bodies around 90-100 cm long. Males are larger and have two pairs of tusks. The lower pair is positioned normally between the teeth of the lower jaw, while the upper pair grows not from the mouth but protrudes directly from the face. In older males, the tips can reach the forehead or curl back 180 degrees, sometimes even growing back into the skin. These tusks can grow up to 30-40 cm long. Females only have the lower tusks, which are smaller in size.
Babirusas are excellent swimmers and often use their tusks to catch fish!
