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The domestic pig is
usually given the scientific name Sus scrofa, though some authors
call it S. domesticus, reserving S. scrofa for the wild boar.
It has been a domesticated animal for approximately 5,000 to 7,000
years. The animal is found across Europe, the Middle East and
extends into Asia as far as Indonesia and Japan. The distinction
between wild and domestic animals is slight, and domestic pigs
have become feral in many parts of the world (for example, New
Zealand). Feral pigs can cause substantial environmental damage.
The family Suidae also includes about 12 separate species of wild
pig, most also classified in the genus Sus.
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Pigs are intelligent
animals, and some are kept as pets. Pigs are reportedly more intelligent
and more trainable than dogs and cats. Pigs were brought to southeastern
North America from Europe by De Soto and other early Spanish explorers,
where escapees became feral and became freely used by Native Americans
as food. Sus scrofa has four subspecies, each occupying distinct
geographical areas. They are Sus scrofa scrofa (western Africa,
Europe), Sus scrofa ussuricus (northern Asia and Japan), Sus scrofa
cristatus (Asia Minor, India), and Sus scrofa vittatus (Indonesia).
While pigs are raised mostly for meat, their skin is used as a
source of leather. Their bristly hairs are also traditionally
used for brushes. Pigs are omnivores, making them easy to raise:
on a small farm or in a large household they can be fed kitchen
scraps as part or all of their diet. Occasionally, in captivity,
they eat their own young.
Above Images
Come From The Courtesy of the USDA
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