Facts About Pig

Amongst the most common animals, found almost everywhere in the world, are pigs. Though they are native to Eurasia, there is hardly any country of the world where you cannot find pigs roaming around the rubbish bins. Farmers raise pigs for their meat and for their hides and there are over 2 million domestic pigs on Earth. They belong to the ‘Suidae’ family and have been classifies into 15 species, namely Sus barbatus, Sus bucculentus, Sus cebifrons, Sus celebensis, Sus domestica, Sus falconeri, Sus heureni, Sus hysudricus, Sus oliveri, Sus philippensis, Sus salvanius, Sus scrofa, Sus strozzi†, Sus timoriensis and Sus verrucosus. Pigs can are ranked at fourth place as the most intelligent animal in the world. Moreover, many experts claim that pigs are more easily domesticated than dogs or cats. In the following lines, we have provided interesting facts and amazing information on pigs. Check them out and know more about this cute, little animal.

Fast Facts

Common Names: Pig, hog and swine

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Artiodactyla

Family: Suidae

Genus: Sus

Species: 15

Smallest Breed: Mini Maialino (20 lbs)

Number of Teeth: 44

Natural Habitat: Throughout the world

Diet: Omnivorous (leaves and grasses, roots, fruits and flowers, dead insects, worms, tree bark, rotting carcasses, etc

Age: 9 to 15 years

Age of Maturity (females): 8 to 18 months

Age of Maturity (males): 8 to 10 months

Number of Offspring: 6 to 12

Interesting & Amazing Information on Pigs

Pigs do not have functional sweat glands. They use water or mud for the purpose of staying cool in hot weather.
Pigs do not prefer to sit in mud. Infact, they prefer cleanliness much more than other animals. They use the mud only as a coolant in summers, that too out of necessity.
Mud also provides the pigs protection against flies and parasites, apart from being used as a form of sunscreen, which protects their skin from sunburn.
A female pig is called a sow, while the male is called boar. The baby of a pig is called piglet.
Pigs have such a well developed sense of smell that they can easily find things underground.
Many experts consider pigs to be more trainable than dogs or cats.
The largest pig till date was a Poland-China hog, named ‘Big Bill’. It weighed 2,552 lbs and had a height of 5 feet and a length of 9 feet.
The scream of a frightened pig can measure 115 decibels, higher than the taking off noise of a jet engine (113 decibels).
Even though pigs have four toes on each hoof, they walk on only two of the toes. This makes them look as if they are tiptoeing.
The largest litter of piglets ever born included 37 piglets, out of which 36 were born alive and 33 survived.
A full grown pig can drink up to 14 gallons of water a day.
Domesticated pigs are used as sources of food, leather and similar products.
Pigs are extremely intelligent creatures and constantly communicate with other members. Over 20 vocal sounds have been identified by scientists.
There were many accounts where pigs have even saved human lives.
These are very social animals and rarely show hostility towards others.
‘Rooting’ by pigs is essential for maintaining balance in the ecological system. This behavior involves pigs digging and unsettling the soil for new plant growths.
Pigs have been in existence since 7,000 years ago and have evolved from Eurasian wild boars.
‘Big Bill’ was the biggest pig in the world, discovered in 1933, and it weighed about 2,552 lbs.
Pigs are excellent swimmers.
Pigs may have straight or curly tails.
There are 15,000 taste buds present on a pig’s tongue.

How to Cite

Related Articles

See also

More in 'Society'