Aren’t they cute? Three babirusa piglets, the world’s rarest pigs, were recently born at the Chester Zoo in London. This is the first time that babirusa triplets have been born at the zoo. Triplets only occur in 4 percent of births for the species. /VCG Photo

Babirusas, also called deer-pigs, are found on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, and number fewer than 5,000. They used to be common, but hunting and habitat loss due to climate change have diminished the population. /VCG Photo

The rare birth has led to excitement at the Chester Zoo. Tim Rowlands, curator of mammals at the zoo, said: “Babirusa are, without question, one of the rarest pig species on the planet.” /VCG Photo

“Chester Zoo is also one of the world leaders in breeding these charismatic pigs. By making sure there is a sustainable population in zoos, whose genetic diversity represents the genetic diversity in the wild, the global zoo community can play a vital role in saving this species from extinction,” Rowlands added. /VCG Photo