Buru babirusa hunted by the indigenous people of Buru, which are predominantly Christian. The meat of Buru babirusa has low fat (only 1.27% compared to 5–15% for domestic pigs) and is regarded as a delicacy. It is also preferred by the locals to the meat of other wild pigs or deer in terms of texture and flavor. The establishment of two protected areas on Buru, Gunung Kapalat Mada (1,380 km²) and Waeapo (50 km²), partly aim at preserving the habitat of the Buru babirusa. This species also enjoys full protection under Indonesian law since 1931. The babirusa has been documented to produce
The Wild Animal Sanctuary summer of 2016 a new 48,000 square foot welcome center was opened and an additional 1/2-mile of elevated walkway was added. On October 31, 2016 Guinness World Records certified that the Wild Animal Sanctuary's elevated walkway was the world's longest footbridge at 1.51 miles, supplanting the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge. In spring 2018, with the Keenesburg site deemed at capacity, and no local expansion options, partly due to expanding oil and gas operations, the sanctuary announced the purchase of an additional property of 9,004 acres in the southeastern part of the state. The new $7M property, dubbed "The Wildlife Refuge", is