Science Guide

The babirusa, or Babyrousa babyrussa (seems rather redundant), is a relative of our pigs which lives in the jungles of Indonesia.  The males grow tusks from their canines which grow up through their skull in a curve until it pierces their skull again in between their eyes (no, this is not made up).  Their second canines also form tusks, much like that of a warthog.  The curve is at an angle that it does not pierce the brain, as that would kill them (some evolutionary trait).  

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="The strange headgear of the Babirusa"][/caption]

They can live up to 24 years of age.  The babirusa has light brown, bristly hair.  Like all pigs, they eat just about anything they can find from fruits, nuts, and berries to carrion. 

The males will usually live alone, while the females and piglets will form a community, much like with elephants.  Those tusks are used during mating season to fight off other potential suitors.  The males will fight, trying to break off eachothers' tusks.  The babirusa is endangered due to illegal poaching and deforestation.  Even though they are protected by law, enforcement has been lax and their population has dipped to around 1,000.