We met Ating and his wife Meidy, who live near some Bajau communities in the Togean archipelago off the coast of Central Sulawesi. They’re Sulawesi’s very own “animal whisperers”, and have a unique ability to befriend wild animals that have come to frequent their home!

While we were there, we saw a wild babirusa (which they’ve affectionately named Coco) emerge from the jungle to spend time with Ating, Meidy and their animals. Also known as the “deerpig” as they resemble a cross between a deer and a pig, Coco belongs to an endangered species of babirusa that is endemic to the Togean islands.

Watch how this unique couple, who have chosen to live in solitude, communes with the wild.