Pig

Two independent domestications

Pigs were domesticated from the wild boar (Sus scrofa) at least twice independently:

• Near East / Anatolia — around 9,000 years ago.
• East Asia (China) — around 8,000 years ago.

Modern commercial pig genetics blend both ancestral lineages, with European breeds dominating Western markets and Chinese breeds (which mature faster and produce more piglets) increasingly common in modern industrial crossbreeds.

Among the smartest mammals

Pigs consistently rank as one of the most intelligent domesticated animals — comparable to dogs in many cognitive tests, and superior in some. Documented capabilities include:

• Solving simple maze puzzles.
• Learning their names and responding to verbal commands.
• Using mirrors to find hidden food (a sign of self-recognition).
• Operating joystick-based video games to receive rewards.
• Showing emotional contagion — distress responses to other pigs’ distress.

This intelligence creates challenging welfare questions in intensive farming.

Why they roll in mud

Pigs lack functional sweat glands. Wallowing in mud is their primary thermoregulation strategy — the wet mud cools by evaporation and the dried coating provides sun protection. The behavior is essential, not optional; commercial barn-raised pigs without access to mud baths often suffer in heat.

Pork in human cuisine

Pork is the world’s most-consumed meat (with chicken close behind), accounting for roughly 36% of all meat eaten globally. Major regional cuisines built around pork include Chinese (especially southern), German, Spanish, Italian, Mexican, and many Caribbean and Pacific traditions. Religious prohibitions in Islam and Judaism create regions where pork is largely absent.

Pigs in medicine

Pig anatomy and physiology are unusually similar to human — pig hearts have been used in research and xenotransplantation experiments, and pig insulin was a major source for diabetic patients before recombinant human insulin became available.