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Small brown warty piglet with dark brown stripes down its back follows behind its mother across a grassy meadow inside its garden habitat.

Help Name Zoo’s Critically Endangered Piglets

Asheboro, NC – Earlier this month, the North Carolina Zoo announced the birth of six critically endangered Visayan warty piglets within its new Asia region, which is set to open March 1, 2027. Now, the Zoo is asking for the public’s assistance to name one of the two litters.

Visayan warty pigs are one of the rarest pigs in the world, with only about three dozen of these critically endangered pigs housed at zoos within the United States. They are found in the wild only on two Philippine islands: Negros and Panay. According to the Species Survival Plan (SSP), the Zoo’s four-piglet litter is the largest on record, born to 8-year-old Buddy (mom) and 7-year-old Makaio (dad). Theirs was also the first litter to be born in America since 2022. Makaio went on to father two additional piglets with second-time mom Shy.

Four small, sleepy warty piglets snuggle in a pile as they rest in a bed of hay near their watchful mother. The babies have a mixture of light brown fur, dark brown stripes along their backs, and deep brown eyes and snouts.

“We have a total of six piglets in need of names," says Zoo Director and CEO Dr. Mark Penning. “Two piglets will be named by Zoo staff, and the remaining four will be named by our loyal Guests and online followers. This incredible conservation success story belongs to all of us, so we are inviting each of you to get involved with selection of the winning names.”

The piglet naming poll for 4 of the 6 piglets opens on Friday, Oct. 23 and closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30. 

The public may cast votes for one male and three female piglets at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MH5MQR5.

Small brown warty piglet with dark brown stripes down its back follows behind its mother across a grassy meadow inside its garden habitat.
Small brown Visayan warty piglet with dark brown stripes stands in red North Carolina clay mud wallow inside warty pig habitat.

"These warty piglets are symbolic of a much larger wildlife conservation effort, representing dozens of critically endangered species we are actively working to save in the wild," says Deputy Director Diane Villa. "By choosing to visit our Zoo, Guests are supporting wildlife conservation efforts led by our team members locally and around the world."

The piglets continue to grow and thrive inside the Zoo's Asia region, away from the public eye. However, interested followers may track their progress via the Zoo's social media channels (@nczoo) or learn more at www.nczoo.org.

The winning names will be announced on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. The North Carolina Zoo is a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR).

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