Pigs, a part of the Suidae family, are large, omnivorous mammals with large heads and elongated snouts that exist both in captivity and in the wild. Male pigs are called boars, female pigs are sows and baby pigs are called piglets.Wild pigs have existed for 40 million years, originating in Europe and Asia. They were first domesticated in China approximately 6,000 years ago.
Pigs did not come to the Americas until 1539, when Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto brought them over on his journey from Spain to what is now Tampa Bay, Florida. Now, pigs have one of the largest animal populations in the world, living on all of the continents except Antarctica.
Newborn pigs are less than a foot long and typically weigh two to three pounds. Depending on the breed, adult pigs can grow anywhere from three to five feet long with weights ranging from 250 to over 400 pounds.
Pigs are intelligent animals. They can be trained to do simple tasks and have great memories. Pigs have also been used in times of war to sniff out land mines on the battlefield.
Pigs communicate by grunting and squealing in high pitches. Pigs are often mistaken as dirty creatures, but they are actually quite clean. They roll around in the mud in order to keep cool, since they do not have sweat glands.