The Togian babirusa (''Babyrousa togeanensis''), also known as the Malenge babirusa, is the largest species of

babirusa The babirusas, also called deer-pigs (), are a genus, ''Babyrousa'', in the Suidae, swine family found in the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi, Togian Islands, Togian, Sula Islands, Sula and Buru. All members of this genus were considered part of a ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the

Togian Islands The Togian (or Togean) Islands are an archipelago of 56 islands and many offshore islets, situated in the Gulf of Tomini, off the coast of Central Sulawesi, in Indonesia. The largest islands are Batudaka Island, Batudaka, Togean Island, Togea ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

, but was considered a

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

of '' Babyrousa babyrussa'' until 2002. Compared to the better-known

north Sulawesi babirusa The North Sulawesi babirusa (''Babyrousa celebensis'') is a pig-like animal native to Sulawesi and some nearby islands ( Lembeh, Buton and Muna) in Indonesia. It has two pairs of large tusks composed of enlarged canine teeth. The upper canines ...

, the Togian babirusa is larger, has a well-developed tail-tuft, and the upper canines of the male are relatively "short, slender, rotated forwards, and always converge".Meijaard, E., J. P. d'Huart, and W. L. R. Oliver (2011). Babirusa (''Babyrousa''). Pp. 274–276 in: Wilson, D. E., and R. A. Mittermeier, eds. (2011). '' Handbook of the Mammals of the World.'' Vol. 2, Hoofed Mammals. The Togian babirusa is omnivorous, feeding mainly on roots and fallen fruit but also on worms and invertebrates. Unlike other pig species, the Togian babirusa does not root at the ground with its snout when foraging, but instead can be seen pawing at the ground to uproot plants.

References

Suidae Endemic fauna of Indonesia Mammals of Sulawesi Mammals described in 1949 Taxa named by Henri Jacob Victor Sody {{eventoedungulate-stub