ZooBorns

Three Little Pigs

If you had to give out an award for the prettiest of all pigs, the Red River Hog would be a top contender. While the little hoglets don't have the orange-red fur of their parents, they do sport fashion forward camouflage stripes. These three little pigs were born at the LA Zoo at the end of May. Definitely worth a visit if you live in the area. On a sidenote, I think the music in the video is perfectly suited for piggy adventuring.

Photo credits: Tad Motoyama / LA Zoo

Little Trotters Keeping Warm

Miniature piglets at Taronga Zoo's Backyard to Bush’s farmyard are keeping their little trotters warm. The eight tiny piglets were born almost two weeks ago and are staying dry in their parents’ straw-filled shelter.

Photo Credits: Lorinda Taylor / Taronga Zoo

Wiggly Warthoglets in Arizona Zoo's Nursery

There's a lot of activity In the nursery of Arizona's Wildlife World Zoo. Among the bevy of beastly babies is a quartet of very young Warthog piglets. Photographed earlier this month by Arizona reader Nicki Miller, the hoglets look harmless now (and likely will remain that way!) but they will grows tusks of up to 9 inches long. Their wild cousins use these chompers for digging, for combat with other hogs, and in defence against predators.

Photo Credits: Nicki Miller

More Red River Hoglets for Calgary

In the early morning hours of April 1, Red River hog mom Mvula gave birth to her second litter of adorable little Red River hoglets at the Calgary Zoo! The three babies and mom are now ready to come out to play after spending time bonding in their off display nursery over the past two weeks. ZooBorns covered Mvula's first batch of little piglets in April of last year.

Photo and video credits: Calgary Zoo

Adult Red River hogs get their name from their red coat and because their natural habitat is in the wetland areas of Central and Eastern Africa. The hoglets' camouflage coats make them look kind of like little orange watermelons!

Miniature Pigs aka "Mini-schwein"

Zoo Basel's children's zoo welcomed eight miniature piglets this week or, as they call them, mini-schwein. While not exactly exotic, the tiny piglets are the size of small puppies and have proven to be an absolute delight for the Swiss children lucky enough to see them.

Pigpile!

Dinner time

Connecticut's Own Octomom-pig

On April 16, Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo welcomed eight little Guinea Hog piglets. Although Guinea Hogs are rare today, they were once a common domesticated hog throughout the Southeastern United States.

Photo Credits: Shannon Calvert

Five Hungry Little Hoglets

On March 19, five-year old Red River Hog Mvula, gave birth to her first litter of little hoglets at the Calgary Zoo. Mvula and her babies have had lots of quiet time to bond and she has proven to be an excellent mother.

 

Good Luck Charm Piglets Born in Berlin

According to a 16th century German tradition, the birth of this particular breed of pig in mid-winter is great luck for the new year. What better way to ring in '09 than with these "lucky charm" piglets born at the Berlin Zoo.

Rare Baby Barbirusa Pig At The Houston Zoo

The Houston Zoo recorded a first earlier this year with the birth of a rare and endangered babirusa pig. Her name,  Hadiah (pronounced: huh-DI-ah), means 'gift' in an Indonesian language. Hadiah weighed approximately one pound at birth and she immediately captured the hearts of her keepers.

Red River Hog-lets at the Cincinnati Zoo

Last year the Cincinnati Zoo welcomed two litters of Red River Hogs. Endangered in their native Africa, the Red River Hog, also know as the Bush Pig, inhabits a diverse range of habitats, from rainforests to savannah and mountains. Like most pigs, they are social animal and live in herds of 6-20 members.