North Carolina Zoo Welcomes Six Critically Endangered Visayan Warty Piglets

The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro has announced the births of six Visayan warty piglets in two litters, an unusually significant development for a species considered critically endangered. The zoo and the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources disclosed the births this week as the park prepares its new Asia region for a public opening in 2027.

Zoo officials said eight-year-old female Buddy and seven-year-old male Makaio produced four piglets in one litter, the largest recorded litter for the species under the cooperative Species Survival Plan. The four were the first Visayan warty piglets born in the United States since 2022. Makaio also fathered two piglets with Shy, another female, about two weeks later.

The births bring the zoo's Visayan warty pig population to nine animals. That number is important because the captive population is small and aging. The state release estimated that about 30 Visayan warty pigs were held in United States zoos as of this summer, while roughly 200 were believed to remain in the wild. The species is native to just two islands in the Philippines, where habitat loss and hunting have sharply reduced its range.

Animal-care and conservation specialists use coordinated breeding plans to maintain genetic diversity among small populations. Zoo officials said Makaio's genetic background is newly represented in the managed population, making the offspring especially valuable. The program is not simply about producing young animals for public display; maintaining healthy, genetically varied populations is part of broader conservation work.

The piglets' arrival comes as the zoo prepares to open its Asia expansion at noon on March 1, 2027. The new region is expected to include the Visayan warty pig group, giving visitors a chance to learn about a species far less familiar than many larger zoo mammals. The zoo has not said that visitors can see the new piglets in the currently open sections of the park.

While the births are encouraging, they do not by themselves reverse the threats facing wild animals in the Philippines. The announcement illustrates how North Carolina's zoo participates in international conservation efforts while preparing a major new attraction for Asheboro. The confirmed litter sizes, parentage and population figures come from the state's official announcement.