May07
Top Ten Fascinating Facts About Pigs
Posted at 05:07 PM | Permalink
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Comments (20)
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Pigs snuggle close to one another and prefer to sleep nose to nose. They dream, much as humans do. In their natural surroundings, pigs spend hours playing, sunbathing, and exploring. People who run animal sanctuaries for farmed animals often report that pigs, like humans, enjoy listening to music, playing with soccer balls, and getting massages.
Pigs communicate constantly with one another; more than 20 vocalizations have been identified that pigs use in different situations, from wooing mates to saying, "I'm hungry!"
Newborn piglets learn to run to their mothers' voices and to recognize their own names. Mother pigs sing to their young while nursing.
According to Professor Donald Broom of the Cambridge University Veterinary School, "[Pigs] have the cognitive ability to be quite sophisticated. Even more so than dogs and certainly [more so than human] 3-year-olds."
Pigs appear to have a good sense of direction and have found their way home over great distances. Adult pigs can run at speeds of up to 11 miles an hour.
Professor Stanley Curtis of Penn State University has found that pigs can play joystick-controlled video games and are "capable of abstract representation." Dr. Curtis believes that "there is much more going on in terms of thinking and observing by these pigs than we would ever have guessed."
Pigs do not "eat like pigs" or "pig out." They prefer to eat slowly and savor their food.
Suzanne Held, who studies the cognitive abilities of farmed animals at the University of Bristol's Centre of Behavioural Biology, says that pigs are "really good at remembering where food is located, because in their natural environment food is patchily distributed and it pays to revisit profitable food patches."
Pigs are clean animals. If given sufficient space, they will be careful not to soil the area where they sleep or eat. Pigs don't "sweat like pigs"; they are actually unable to sweat. They like to bathe in water or mud to keep cool, and they actually prefer water to mud. One woman developed a shower for her pigs, and they learned to turn it on and off by themselves.
In his book The Whole Hog, biologist and Johannesburg Zoo director Lyall Watson writes, "I know of no other animals [who] are more consistently curious, more willing to explore new experiences, more ready to meet the world with open mouthed enthusiasm. Pigs, I have discovered, are incurable optimists and get a big kick out of just being."
These are just a few of the many reasons not to eat pigs. Click here to learn more about pigs.
Posted by Heather Moore
TAGGED:
pigs vegetarian top 10 Swine flu
Comments
Pigs also love having their bellies and backs scratched, and they love the smell of scented shoelaces, especially the pickes and chocolate variety.
Rule for entering a pig pen while touring a farm with your child: wear workboots. Both male and female pigs love fancy shoes and sandals; the more expensive your footwear, the more the pigs will try to separate them from your feet. They are also facinated by painted, manicured toenails and ankle bracelets.
Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | May 7, 2009 06:52 PM
This was very interesting, I've always loved pigs and these are lovely little facts. Pigs are adorable.
Posted by: Emily G, 15 | May 7, 2009 07:25 PM
As usual PETA instead of the news media tells the truth in reference to how intelligent,sociable and sensitive pigs and many other animals truly are. The news media and papers are in complete complicity with animal killing industries. PETA and other animal rights organizations are the true guardians and stewards of God's magnificent animal kingdom.
Posted by: Brien Comerford | May 7, 2009 08:24 PM
makes me want to rescue a pig. C: they are such loving creatures!
Posted by: alexis kerr | May 7, 2009 08:44 PM
I heard on the news plenty of times that if you actually cook your pork you cannot get sick from it. Cooking it removes parasites, bacteria and viruses, although most viruses do not live on dead flesh to long after it is deceased. I also read the article and it states you can only get it from the blood, how many people eat pork with blood ozzing out of it?
Posted by: Denise | May 7, 2009 09:41 PM
:) peta thank you so much for this article ..i love pigs and everyone else should as well.this definitely made me smile when i read all the great facts about them! go piggies!
Posted by: amanda tink | May 7, 2009 10:45 PM
I love piggers! I will try to save at least 2 from the slaughter and give them a life of leasure when we get our new home in the country.
Posted by: margarita | May 8, 2009 09:17 AM
Aw I love pigs! I really wanna go play with some now.
Posted by: Suzie | May 8, 2009 09:35 AM
Hooray for piggies!!!!!
Go vegan!!!
Posted by: AAG | May 8, 2009 10:01 AM
NOW i want go and play with a little piglet. they make me want to cry when i see people eat them.
Posted by: Sylver-Clove | May 8, 2009 01:47 PM
Denise this is not about the viruses...
Posted by: Ghill | May 8, 2009 04:34 PM
Oh my GOODNESS, Miss Denise, if you cannot write anything actually RELATED to the blog (and this is not the first time), will you PLEASE just post your uneducated narrow-minded opinions elsewhere? Try Faux Noise... I mean Fox News...
This post doesn't address the health dangers of eating pork (although there are certainly plenty other than the ones Denise TRIED to refute), it addresses the morality of eating a living being that has been scientifically proven to exhibit very human-like behaviors. That being said...
I absolutely ADORE pigs because of their intelligence, playful-ness, undying affection (mine used to give me kisses when she knew I was sad) and... well c'mon how can you NOT find something with a little pink snout and floppy dog-like ears cute?
Personally I can't understand why anyone would continue to eat pork after knowing all these facts about pigs, but if they do... please at least acknowledge that you're eating the flesh of a creature that is every bit as capable of loving and being happy as you are.
Posted by: Cat! =^-^= | May 8, 2009 05:19 PM
I have no argument that pigs are intelligent and highly social animals, but I dispute whole heartedly the claim that pigs "do not eat like pigs". What a ludicrous claim! Pigs are smart, but they also taste good.
Posted by: Steve | May 9, 2009 08:09 PM
I actually have a pig (Ms. Piggy) who was brought to my farm instead of to market!! She lives the good life :) every mourning she is up with the sun, she eats a bit, then rests on a sandy hill. when it gets warmer, she moves to the front of my property and relaxes by the pool (my pond) after a good mud bath!! I am glad I got the chance to give this great lady a second chance at life!!!
Steve, I am sure you taste good too!! Why don't you go climb into a tiger cage???
Posted by: Zyklonia Dark | May 10, 2009 09:47 PM
You tell him Zyklonia!
Posted by: Andrew | May 11, 2009 10:28 AM
Zyklonia, i am laughing at your comment, it is great, pigs are lovely, i can't imagine eating a cute playful little pig.
Posted by: Jaquie | May 11, 2009 11:56 AM
I always knew pigs were something special and not to mention how very cute they are!! They shouldn't be eaten and I LOVED Zyklonia's comment! Very cool! But I just don't think Steve has it to climb in a tiger's cage!
Posted by: Wendy | May 11, 2009 02:05 PM
Dear God America, what did pigs ever do to you that you should treat them with such shameless brutality.
Shame on You America!
Shame on the Department of Agriculture for not stopping this greed and brutality.
"The Banquet of those who stretch themselves, will be ended"
....................Nehemiah
Posted by: Saucy | May 12, 2009 05:19 PM
Pigs can learn tricks faster than dogs. They are far more sophsicated than three year old humans.
Posted by: Nicole | June 25, 2009 05:15 PM
Almost all of these comments are about how most of you "love cute little piggies!" I would like to see you adopt one. Yes, cute when they are born, but I guarantee when it grows to an adult.....you wont keep it anymore. I bet most of you have never even been around swine in your life
Posted by: Ashley | October 10, 2009 03:56 PM