Fun Facts

Let’s Pig Out

Photo: https://www.almanac.com/perks-pigs-fun-facts-about-pigs

Pigs are between 4 and 7 of the most intelligent animals and are as trainable as dogs. They can even be litter box trained. Because of their high IQ they can solve problems like moving a cursor on a video screen while understanding what is going on. Their flat strong snout that moves independently of their heads allows a very strong sense of smell; detecting smells up to 25 feet underground. They are short bodied about 3-6 ft. long and weigh 110-770 lbs. They have 4 toed hooves, with the two large toes bearing the weight, while the shorter softer ones are used for soft ground (wikipedia). 

There are about 1 billion pigs so the domestic pig is among the most populous large mammal in the world. Pigs control their body temperature by thermoregulation by wallowing in mud to stay cool but they are still considered to be a very clean animal. They have no sweat glands and the mud caked on their thick almost hairless skin prevents sunburn and insect bites. Without mud they could get second degree burns (almanac). A bare pig is odor-free but their living style is what smells. Pigs keep their toilet area far away from where they live and muck about, but if their living space is limited then fecal matter and food waste create the odoriferous gases. 

Pigs are omnivorous and love to eat thus the “pigging out” expression as they eat vegetables, flower roots, and just about anything. They are incredibly friendly and love a scratch behind their ears. Winston Churchill said “Dogs look up to man, cats look down, but pigs look us straight in the eye and see an equal (Chuck Wooster | March 21, 2022).”