Vietnamese pot-bellied

Description

What differentiates it from other pigs is its much smaller size. They are dark coloured pigs with protective grey hair. They have a dorsal main which runs from the neck to the rump, a slightly curled tail and ears covered in hair. They have a prominent belly which becomes accentuated over time. 

Ethology

The male with compete with other males for the females. They may form harems of up to eight females in the mating season. Once impregnated, after 115 days of gestation, they will give birth to five or six piglets. They are extremely protective of them.

Interesting facts

Vietnamese pigs are a breed of pigs native to Vietnam. This small pig adapts to almost all environments, but is having problems reproducing in nature, as it easily cross breeds with other breeds of pig or boar. The Vietnamese pig became very popular when actor George Clooney acquired one as a pet, but as in so many cases, owners became bored and ended up abandoning them, thereby creating herds of this species of pig on the loose, which due to their great adaptability and numerous litters, became a threat to biodiversity.