Small Surprises At the Zoo

Four two-week-old Kunekune-cross piglets are the newest attraction at Five Sisters Zoo near Polbeth in West Lothian, Scotland. A cross between New Zealand and Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, they originate from Asia, and are now becoming increasingly popular as pets. The Polbeth piglets — as yet unnamed — are the first litter of Mork and Mindy, who came to the zoo two years ago, from a site in Wales and a wildlife park in Fife. Although they are still fairly rare in Scotland, the animals are seen as ideal pets because they are small, light and can even be house-trained fairly easily. The Kunekune breed nearly died out in New Zealand by the 1970s, but was revived by the efforts of a small community of breeders. They arrived in Britain in 1992, imported by a couple who had fallen for the pigs while living in New Zealand. New Zealand Kunekune Association member Lynette Anderson did not know of any teacup piglets being bred locally. She had qualms about selectively breeding miniature pigs. “You wonder what will become of those poor little pigs if they turn into some kind of fashion fad.”