Rare Pigs Debut at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

The Animal Care team at Conservation Station has some new animals to brag about with the arrival of three kunekune pigs, a rare breed that has just made its debut at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Found in New Zealand but believed to have originated in China, kunekune pigs also are known as Maori pigs after the first people of New Zealand. “Kunekune” means “plump” in the Maori language. Kunekunes nearly became extinct in the 1980s before breeding efforts increased their numbers.

To help with the pigs’ care at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and to acclimate them to the up-close experience with Guests at Affection Section, animal keepers have been working with the kunekune pigs on a variety of behaviors. This training, which is similar to techniques used with pets, helps keeps the pigs fit, intellectually stimulated and comfortable around Guests.

“Most people have heard about endangered species in reference to wild animals, but many domestic animals are at risk of extinction as well,” said Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., vice president of Animals, Science and Environment for Disney Parks. “By showcasing rare domestic breeds, like babydoll sheep, Nigerian dwarf goats and kunekune pigs at Affection Section, we are helping our Guests learn more about them and how they can help.”

Fun facts about kunekune pigs:

• Kunekunes are a small breed that usually weighs from 90-120 pounds when fully grown. They have a round body, a short up-turned snout and a curly tail. Some have a wattle (a fleshy growth hanging from the neck).
• The pigs can be black, white, ginger (red), brown or gold tipped, and their coats can be spotted, striped, marbled, solid, curly, smooth, rough, long or short.
• They are grazers and foragers. They eat shrubs, weeds, bird eggs, snakes and mice, and usually don’t root.

Source Article from http://wdwnews.com/releases/2011/12/13/rare-pigs-debut-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/

Related articles

• Wild Africa Trek at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Celebrates 15,000th Guest (chipandco.com)
• New Meet & Greet Characters at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (couponingtodisney.com)

Let our friends at Destinations to Travel help you book your next Disney Vacation. They are the preferred Travel Agency of Chip and Company and Disney Addicts, and who we use ourselves.

Get started below for your FREE No Obligation Quote.

Book With our friends at Destinations to Travel

Who is your Travel Agent?(Required)

Let us pick for youEric HilesStacy ReedAbbey JohnsonAlisa SullivanAlli WillisAmanda FolsomAmanda VannAmber BrillhartAmber FisherAmy SieburnAndrea SmithAngela AndersonAngie BaycuraAnna PetrilliAnnabelle DuboseApril StefanskiAshley RamseyBeth ParsonsBetsy SantoroBrandie McQueenBrian BuckleyBridget HatchBryan SchwartzCandice SneedCarrie ButlerCarson DockumCasey BoltCharleen HortonChelsea RoyChelsea WuebkerChris BoyerChristie GrubeChristina FratturaChristina SmithCourtney WhiteCraig YoderDan MercedDanielle NorcrossDarby MouritsenDavid ForrestDeborah AlvaradoEmilee BiegelEmily MorrisFaith HakesGail HatchGreg MatzkerHelen HummerHolly CurryJackie CavistonJaclyn PepitoneJamie SwansonJeanine JordanJeff CallahanJenni MaierJennifer BrownJennifer StephensonJennifer StoessnerJessica HatfieldJessica HuffJessica WunderJoe GuertinJon CarpentierJoseph SliwaJulie McCombJustin BrownKat AttridgeKathryn EberhartKathy AndersonKatie HarrellKatie PrevotKayla CookKelsey SullensKim HelmsKimberly HutchinsonKristi GallagherKyle RamsdenLauren DewlenLeanne MonterLinda DurhamLindsay AckermannLindsey VromanLissette BritoLori HardyMallory MorrisonMandi QuinnMaranda PerkinsMarisa AlvaradoMegan TeismannMeghan BlairMelissa ReedMichele KlineMike BeyerMissy McCormickMisty DickersonNancy CasteelNicole ThorntonPatrick O'ConnorPaul SulPeyton Ward-KubikRaylene CooganRegan OstranderRobbie BulusRobert ThomasSara SolbergSarah McCandlishShanna BrowningShelley BennettShelly MetzStacy CristStacy KrzyminskiStacy SmithStephanie DraganoStephanie FerencStephanie WalshSusannah McCordTara SlusserTerri MillerTiffany DobraskiTiffany DrenkhahnTina FarmerTonya LesiukTracy DaneTroy DuncanVeronica RenteriaVicki FesslerWendy CarllWendy HauserWendy KellehanWendy Shelley

Name(Required)

First Last

Email(Required)

Phone(Required)

Destination(Required)

Walt Disney WorldDisneyland ResortDisney Cruise LineAulani, A Disney Resort and SpaAulani, A Disney Resort and SpaUniversal FloridaUniversal HollywoodRoyal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian or other Cruise LineI don't know yet

# of Adults(Required)

# of Children(Required)

Check-in-Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Check-out-Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Comments, Questions or Special Requests

Comments

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

For the BEST in Disney, Universal, Dollywood, and SeaWorld Theme Park News, Entertainment, Merchandise & More follow us on, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. Don't forget to check out the Chip and Company Radio Network too!