A pig from Sulawesi and nearby islands whose males have upper tusks that grow through the snout.
It has very little body hair; in males, the upper tusks emerge through the skin and curve backward.
Male North Sulawesi Babirusas have upper canine tusks that grow through the snout and curve backward. Both sexes have lower tusks. Slender legs support a rounded, sparsely haired body.
Sparring males rear onto their hind legs and strike with their forelegs. The curved upper tusks are fragile. A display role in mate choice has been proposed but remains untested.
They forage on fruit and leaves and may wallow during heat. Lore Lindu National Park records the species. Logging removes habitat and cover, while hunting adds pressure.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
Logging and hunting threaten the species; loss of cover can increase exposure to hunters. The park authority records it among Lore Lindu’s endemic forest mammals.