Rare 'pig-deer' born at Chester Zoo as swine fever pushes species towards extinction

A critically endangered babirusa piglet has been born at Chester Zoo, offering a rare moment of hope for a species facing a rapid collapse in the wild.

The tiny piglet, named Rana, was born to 11‑year‑old Matano and arrived weighing between 300 and 500 grams - with staff affectionately comparing her size to a “a grapefruit with legs”.

She is Matano’s fifth piglet, who herself was born at Chester Zoo and now has descendants in collections across Europe.

Babirusas, sometimes called pig‑deer because of their distinctive look, live only on four Indonesian islands. Once listed as ‘Vulnerable’, their status is set to be raised to ‘Critically Endangered’ by the IUCN after African swine fever swept through their remaining habitat five years ago.

Wild numbers have plummeted, and conservationists warn the disease could push the species toward extinction without urgent intervention.

Babirusa pregnancies are unusually predictable - almost every birth at Chester Zoo has occurred exactly 161 days after conception. Once Matano was seen mating with male Bamm Bamm earlier this year, keepers began counting down.

Ahead of the birth, Matano was given a quiet space and extra bedding. Because new mothers are extremely sensitive to disturbance, staff monitored the pair remotely via baby monitors until they were ready to be seen by visitors.

Unlike most pigs, babirusas typically produce one or two piglets, not large litters, making population recovery slow when numbers crash in the wild.

Hannah Owens, assistant team manager, said Rana’s arrival is especially meaningful: “This is the first babirusa birth we've had here for a few years, and Rana is a very special little lady.

“When she was born, she was tiny - about the size of a grapefruit, with legs. She's grown a lot and is doing really well.”