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The Visayan warty pig probably was once distributed throughout the central Philippine archipelago (the Visayan Islands). However, potentially viable populations are now thought to remain only on two of the Visayan Islands: in the western mountains of Panay and in scattered fragments of surviving forest on Negros.
The major threats to the Visayan warty pig are population growth and the resulting accelerating rates of habitat loss and hunting pressure. Much of the habitat loss is due to a slash-and-burn farming system known as kaingin, practiced by landless peasants and indigenous tribal groups moving into the Visayan Islands, but also to poor logging practices. Only a few percent of the original primary forest remains on Negros Island. In addition, damage caused by the pigs' crop raiding has resulted in negative attitudes toward them and a tendency to regard them as fair game for hunters. Widespread political unrest and the depressed state of the Philippine economy are also contributing factors. This species is listed on the IUCN Redlist as Critically Endangered.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) sent out an urgent nationwide appeal for zoos to implement emergency breeding programs. The Minnesota Zoo joins the Oregon Zoo, San Diego Zoo, St. Louis Zoo, and the Los Angeles Zoo to become the fifth in the nation to help in the recovery effort.
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