What do you know about these remarkable animals?
Pigs are fascinating animals that are – contrary to widespread belief – incredibly intelligent, social, and one of the cleanest animals! Here is a list of amazing facts about these complex creatures.
- Pigs are smart! Their intelligence is higher than a dog's, some primates and even young human children.1
- In their natural state, pigs are very clean animals. They keep their toilets far from their living or feeding areas.2
- They are much more tolerant of colder temperatures than heat. Pigs have no sweat glands so they can't sweat. This is why they enjoy being in mud to keep themselves cool.3
- Pigs use grunts to communicate with each other. The grunts made by pigs vary depending on the pig's personality and can convey important information about the welfare of this highly social species.4
- Newborn piglets learn to respond to their mothers’ voices, and mother pigs communicate with their babies through grunts and sing to them while nursing. Pigs also have a vocabulary of over 20 distinct sounds, all with a specific meaning.5
- Pigs have excellent memories. They can remember things for years and can recognize and remember objects!6
- The highest density of tactile receptors is found in the pig’s snout. Pigs use it mainly to dig in the dirt and smell food. A pig’s sense of smell is about 2000 times more sensitive than human's.7
- Pigs are incredibly social. They form close bonds with each other and other animals. To keep warm, pigs may cuddle up with one another. Pigs also love to play!8
Source
1. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3122303/Move-Lassie-IQ-tests-reveal-pigs-outsmart-dogs-chimpanzees.html
2. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/the-joy-of-pigs-smart-clean-and-lean/2126/
3. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/the-joy-of-pigs-smart-clean-and-lean/2126/
4. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160629100349.htm
5. https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/phenomenal-reasons-to-love-pigs/
6. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/not-bad-science/are-pigs-stupid-perhaps-theyre-just-stressed/
7. https://safeanimalsquad.org.nz/animal-facts/animal-facts-pigs/
8. https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/phenomenal-reasons-to-love-pigs/
