WILLY'S SUCH A PIG HOG FORGETS MATE, CHASES LONG LEGS.

Byline: Cortney Fielding Staff Writer

Willy didn't grieve long after his mate went to hog heaven.

The 10-year-old, 187-pound Red River hog wasted little time in taking up with his pen-mate Nicole, a much taller and heavier bongo - the largest member of the forest antelope family.

The two share a muddy exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo, where they have been spotted grooming, napping and cuddling together. On occasion, they've been seen snout to nose.

``It's adorable,'' said zoo spokesman Jason Jacobs. ``Wherever that bongo is, the hog is usually nearby.''

Willy, a wild member of the pig family, and 16-year-old Nicole were placed in the same exhibit area more than a year ago. Willy and his mate, Ruby, were comfortable with Nicole, but kept mostly to themselves, said Jeff Holland, exhibit curator.

Then last summer Ruby died of cancer. Within a week, keepers noticed the hog turning to his only remaining pen-mate for companionship.

``I think he was probably lonely. He definitely was aware that his mate was gone,'' Holland said.

Nicole didn't take to Willy immediately. The first time he tried to approach her, she thrust her horns at him - a clear sign she wasn't interested in a relationship.

``She bowled him right over,'' Holland said.

But the persistent pig wouldn't give up, and eventually Nicole stopped pushing him away. Now, they share a routine, which begins with breakfast at 10 a.m., often eaten out of the same feeder. Then they take a slow walk around their pen. Nicole leads, and Willy trails closely behind.

``I think he definitely likes her more than she likes him,'' Holland said.

But the relationship isn't one-sided. After they finish pacing the grounds, Willy settles in for grooming, and Nicole picks at his shaggy red coat. She then lets Willy reciprocate.

Grooming is significant in the animal kingdom, Holland said - a way for animals to make contact with each other.

Finally, they settle in, side by side, for an afternoon nap.

Zookeepers were surprised by the budding relationship. While placing different species in the same space is not uncommon in zoos, having them form lasting attachments is.

``I've never seen anything quite like this to this degree,'' Holland said.

Nicole and Willy are primarily vegetarians whose ancestors are from West and Central Africa, where they reside in forests and thickets. They have common characteristics. Both have red coats and ridges of white fur running down their backs.

While there are other Red River hogs living in the zoo, Nicole is the only bongo, and she is among the last of her kind. Bongos are extinct in the wild - their numbers lost to agriculture and hunting. There are fewer than 500 living in zoos and other facilities around the world.

It's unknown how long Willy and Nicole will stay together. Curators said they hope to bring another bongo to the zoo for Nicole, probably another female, and Willy could be moved to another part of the zoo with other hogs.

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Photo:

(color) Willy, a persistent wild pig, appears to have won over Nicole, a rare bongo, for some cross-species cuddling at the Los Angeles Zoo.