Pig

A pig is a hoofed animal, a member of the "ungulate" order of mammals. The pig is also referred to as a hog or swine. Their closest relatives are the peccaries, found in Southwest North America, Central America and South America. The pig is native to Eurasia and is a member of the Suidae family.

Fast Facts

1. Kingdom: Animalia
2. Order: Artiodactyla
3. Family: Suidae
4. Diet: Omnivore
5. Weight: 50 to 350 lbs
6. Lifespan: 10 to 15 years
7. Number of Teeth: 44
8. Litter Size: 6 to 12
9. Types: razorback, wild boar, pot bellied, domestic pig

Characteristics

Pigs have a snout for a nose, small tails, short legs, thick torsos and coarse, prickly hair. They are omnivorous, eating almost anything they can find.

Domestication

The domestication of pigs started in the Old World approximately five to seven thousand years ago. They are usually domesticated for sources of food and leather, but some breeds, such as the potbellied pig, are kept as pets.

Religious and Cultural References

In Hinduism, the god Vishnu took the form of a boar to save the earth from a demon. Jewish dietary laws prohibit the consumption of pork. The pig is associated with St. Anthony in Catholicism. The pig appears in on the Chinese calendar as one of the years in the 12-year cycle of animals.

Diseases And Parasites

Pigs carry an array of parasites and diseases which can be passed to humans, such as trichinosis, cysticercosis and brucellosis. Because of the parasites and diseases, pork must be cured or well cooked before consuming.

Dangers of Pigs

Although a domestic pig can be trained to be a pet, they have been known to be aggressive and attack, sometimes killing people. Wild boars were introduced as prey for hunting and have contributed to huge populations of pigs in areas where they are not native, such as Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii.

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