A Pig In Sheep's Clothing?

We have all heard of the expression 'A wolf in sheep's clothing', but a pig? And this is not an expression either, but a species of the pig family, known as the Curly Coated Mangalitzas.

Popular in the 1900's, because of their ability to survive the cold harsh winters and the fact that their woolly coats could be sheared and used for clothing, the breed has slowly disappeared over the years, with only a few left in Hungary and Austria. That is fortunate, given that the Lincolnshire Curly Coats, a similar breed of pigs that thrived in the United Kingdom, became extinct in 1972.

In the last few years however, there has been a movement in the United Kingdom to try increase the number of Mangalitza's with a special breeding program has been established at the Tropical Wings Zoo in Essex.

In order to educate more people, the Zoo recently sent three pigs to the London Zoo, where they debuted amidst much fanfare and have continued to grown in popularity as more people realize that they are not sheep but pigs!

The hardy animals which come in three colors -bright red, blond and black with a cream stomach, survive on fruit and vegetables. Thanks to their coat, which they shed in the summers, their skin does not sun burn. While the hair is no longer used to make clothing, it is quite popular for tying fishing flies, since it tends to retain air bubbles.

Also, since they contain more fat than most other pigs, they can be turned into very tasty ham - However, with each animal costing $1,500USD or about five times the price of a normal pig, don't expect to see them at your local supermarkets anytime soon - Besides, they are way too cute to be slaughtered, aren't they?

sources:metro.co.uk, bbc.co.uk