News archive

Welcome Malcolm and Mabel

7 April 2010

Belfast Zoo’s latest arrivals are Malcolm and Mabel the Visayan warty pigs.

The Visayan warty pig is critically endangered, and is the most critically endangered of all wild pigs.

Belfast Zoo is now one of only four zoos in the UK to look after this species.

Malcolm’s Mohawk style hair-do is responsible for his previous zoo naming him after rocker Malcolm McLaren. It will get bigger as he gets older.

Both of the Visayan warty pigs are 18 months old, but Mabel is a lot smaller than Malcolm. They follow each other around, and are clearly falling for one another.

Belfast Zoo hopes that when they reach the right age, they will breed and contribute towards the global breeding programme for Visayan warty pigs.

Historically, these pigs were native to six islands within the Philippines but they have already become extinct on four of them.

Zoo manager Mark Challis is delighted to have welcomed such an endangered species to Belfast Zoo.

“We are very excited to have welcomed our first Visayan warty pigs to Belfast. Malcolm and Mabel are a very interesting pair and great to watch. The Visayan warty pig is critically endangered with a concerning small number left in the wild. It is great that we have the chance to contribute to their conservation.”

You can adopt a Visayan warty pig to help contribute towards their care and conservation.


Find out more about animal adoption