Ten Pig Facts for Year of The Pig

2019 is the Year of the Pig! To celebrate we’re sharing 10 Facts about some of our favourite animals: PIGS! (duh):

As recognised in the Chinese Zodiac calendar, 2019 is the Year of the Pig. The last Year of the Pig was in 2007.
In addition to their inclusion on the Zodiac calendar, Pigs are the symbol for wealth in Chinese culture.
Pigs are some of the smartest animals around. Their intelligence ranks higher than dogs!
Believe it or not, pigs are very clean animals! They keep their living space clean and free from waste.
Then why do they look dirty? Pigs can’t sweat, so they cover themselves in mud to cool themselves down.
Pigs are omnivores. That means their diets can consist of both plants and meat. (On our tours we feed the Exuma Swimming Pigs carrots and the Spanish Wells Swimming Pigs chicken and turkey.)
Known for their robust figures, full-grown pigs can weigh up to 700lbs! Though piglets can start out at around 2.5lbs.
Pigs like to get (natural) massages – rubbing themselves on trees and hard surfaces for that good scratch! If you want to make friends with a pig, a good back rub can go a long way!
It’s all in the name… A male pig can also be called a boar. A female pig is called a gilt pre-piglets and a sow post-piglets. Of course, baby pigs are called piglets. A group of adult pigs is called a “sounder of swine”.
Pigs can live up to 25 years old. On our pig beaches we have a range of ages from piglets up to grandmas and grandpas!
BONUS! Pigs really do swim! They front-paddle, much like dogs do.

From our funny family to yours, Happy Year of the Pig!

Pigs on our Exuma Excursion “sitting” for a carrot.

Look! A Swimming Sounder of Swine! (Say that 5 times fast).

Napping piglets.

References:

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/pig/#pig-fence.jpg

https://chinesenewyear.net/zodiac/pig/

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/pig/#pig-fence.jpg

http://www.veganpeace.com/animal_facts/Pigs.htm