THE BAWEAN WARTY PIG: AN ANALYSIS OF PIG BEHAVIOR AND THE INFLUENCE OF RELIGION ON COMMUNITY ATTITUD

THE BAWEAN WARTY PIG: AN ANALYSIS OF PIG BEHAVIOR AND THE INFLUENCE OF RELIGION ON COMMUNITY ATTITUDES

By: Bawean Tourism Research Team

Bawean Tourism – Bawean Island is a home to several animal species found nowhere else in the world. Among them is the Bawean warty pig (Sus verrucosus blouchi), a rare wild pig that represents an important component of Indonesia’s unique biodiversity. Despite its conservation significance, however, the species has increasingly become a source of human-wildlife conflict on the island.

In recent years, residents living near forested areas have reported a growing number of incidents involving crop damage caused by wild pigs. Many farmers have suffered substantial harvest losses, while others have been forced to spend several million Indonesian rupiah installing corrugated metal fencing to protect their fields. In addition, collisions between wild pigs and motorcyclists have raised growing concerns about public safety.

In response to these issues, the Bawean Tourism Research Team conducted a study to identify the factors that most strongly influence local attitudes toward the Bawean warty pig. The research was carried out in May 2026 across eight affected villages—Kumalasa, Peromaan, Balikterus, Gunung Teguh, Pudakit Barat, Pudakit Timur, Lebak, and Suwari. A total of 121 participants were selected using a multistage sampling approach.

A. Economic Losses Experienced by Local Communities

Field observations revealed that the conflict extends well beyond the presence of wild pigs near human settlements and has had direct economic consequences for local residents. In Lebak Village, for example, one farmer reported that a rice harvest that would normally yield around 100 sacks was reduced to just 4 sacks following repeated pig incursions. Similar losses were documented elsewhere. In Padhek Hamlet, harvest yields declined from approximately 40 sacks to 15 sacks, while farmers in Kumalasa Village also experienced substantial reductions in production.

Beyond crop losses, many residents have incurred additional expenses to safeguard their farmland. Numerous farmers have installed corrugated metal fencing at a cost of approximately IDR 4–5 million to prevent wild pigs from entering their fields. These findings demonstrate that the conflict has imposed a significant and measurable economic burden on local communities.

B. Is Religion the Primary Driven?

One of the central questions addressed in this study was whether the local residents’ negative perceptions of the Bawean warty pig stem primarily from religious beliefs—given that Islam prohibits the consumption of pork—or from the tangible impacts of living alongside the species.

To explore this question, the study examined two principal explanatory variables—Pig Behavior and Religious Factors—and assessed their influence on Community Attitudes using multiple linear regression analysis.

C. Pig Behavior Emerges as the Strongest Predictor

The statistical analysis revealed that Pig Behavior had a significant effect on Community Attitudes, with a calculated t-statistic of 4.097, exceeding the critical t-value of 1.980. Accordingly, the study’s first hypothesis was supported. These findings indicate that the more frequently residents experience crop damage, disruption to their daily activities, or threats to their personal safety as a result of encounters with the Bawean warty pig, the more likely they are to develop negative attitudes toward the species.

The findings also highlight the powerful role of lived experience in shaping public perceptions. Direct encounters with crop destruction, the financial burden of protecting farmland, and concerns over personal safety exert a far greater influence on community attitudes than information acquired indirectly through external sources. This suggests that local perceptions are driven primarily by firsthand interactions with the species rather than by preconceived beliefs alone.

D. Religion Also Influences Attitudes—But to a Lesser Extent

The analysis also found that Religious Factors had a statistically significant effect on Community Attitudes. This correlation was supported by a calculated t-statistic of 2.302, which exceeded the critical t-value of 1.980. Accordingly, the study’s second hypothesis was also supported.

Given that Islam is the predominant religion on Bawean Island, religious values naturally influence perceptions of pigs. However, the findings indicate that this influence is less pronounced than the impact of direct experiences with human-wildlife conflict.

This is a particularly noteworthy result, as it suggests that negative attitudes toward the Bawean warty pig are not driven solely by religious teachings. Rather, they are influenced more strongly by the practical realities of living alongside the species, including the challenges residents encounter in their daily lives.

E. The Combined Influence of Pig Behavior and Religious Factors

When both variables were analyzed simultaneously, the results showed that Pig Behavior and Religious Factors jointly had a statistically significant effect on Community Attitudes. The multiple regression model produced an F-statistic of 21.233, exceeding the critical F-value of 3.07, thereby supporting the study’s third hypothesis.

The model also yielded a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.265, indicating that the two variables together accounted for 26,.5% of the variation in community attitudes toward the Bawean warty pig. The remaining 73.5% is likely explained by factors beyond the scope of this study, such as educational background, previous experiences with wildlife, knowledge of conservation issues, socioeconomic conditions, and other environmental influences.

F. What Do These Findings Mean for Conservation?

One of the study’s most significant findings is that most local residents do not want the Bawean warty pig to disappear. Rather, they hope the animals will no longer enter farmland or residential areas and cause economic losses or threaten public safety.

This finding carries an important message for conservation efforts. Protecting species alone is not enough; effective conservation must also address the underlying sources of human-wildlife conflict. Measures such as habitat management, enhancing waste management around forested areas, protecting agricultural land, and actively involving local communities in conservation initiatives should be implemented as complementary strategies.

G. Protecting an Endemic Species While Safeguarding Local Livelihoods

The Bawean warty pig is found nowhere else in the world but on Bawean Island. Losing this species would mean the irreversible loss of a unique component of the world’s biodiversity. At the same time, local communities have a legitimate right to protect their livelihoods and to live in safety.

This study demonstrates that successful conservation depends not only on safeguarding wildlife but also on understanding and addressing the needs of the people who share their environment with it. When conservation efforts are integrated with measures that protect local livelihoods and promote community well-being, the prospects for ensuring the long-term survival of the Bawean warty pig are greatly strengthened.

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