Suche
Mein Konto
New offspring at Landau Zoo: Four rare maned piglets born!
Four maned piglets were born in the Landau Zoo. Find out more about their breeding success and species protection.
New offspring at Landau Zoo: Four rare maned piglets born!
There is currently reason to be happy at the Landau Zoo: the endangered Visayas maned pigs have once again had offspring. The animal care team had already noticed the signs of the birth, but they thought it best to wait a few days before looking into the whelping box. Finally, on May 30, four small piglets were discovered - one male and three females. In order to register these little rascals for the future, they received a microchip on June 16th, which not only makes their identification easier, but also makes it possible to determine their gender.
According to the environmental organization IUCN, the Visayas maned pigs are in a critical endangerment category: “Critically Endangered”. The decline in their population in the Western Visayas Islands of the Philippines is alarming, as they are now only found in fragmented populations on the islands of Negros and Panay. Hunting and the loss of their natural habitat play a central role here.
Of particular concern is the threat of African swine fever (ASF), which has already led to the extinction of entire populations. In this context, protective measures are essential. The Landau Zoo is actively involved in a European ex situ program (EEP), which aims to build a genetically diverse and stable reserve population of Visayan maned pigs. There are currently 155 of these pigs living in 40 European zoos, and only six other zoos have successfully bred them in the last 12 months.
Diverse species protection projects
But it's not just the Landau Zoo that is committed to protecting species. There are also numerous projects outside of Germany that fight for endangered animal species. The Prigen Conservation Breeding Ark (PCBA) in Indonesia, for example, a joint project of various organizations, is dedicated to the conservation breeding of endangered Indonesian animal species. Over 250 aviaries for endangered songbird species are to be built by 2025, which represents a valuable contribution to biodiversity. This initiative is supported by the Cologne Zoo, among others, which illustrates the close international cooperation and the common striving to preserve biodiversity.
“The world is at a critical point,” says the WWF. Biodiversity is decreasing and many species are threatened with extinction. The loss of natural habitats, caused by human activity, is the main reason for the extinction of species. Poaching, illegal wildlife trade and the consequences of climate change also play their part. It is all the more important to support projects like the PCBA and the work of the Landau Zoo, which actively combat these threatening trends.
Overall, it is gratifying to see that efforts are being made in various zoos and by numerous organizations worldwide to conserve endangered species. The newborn Visayan maned pigs at the Landau Zoo are a worthy example of how animal parks not only offer fun and variety, but also act as important players in global species conservation.