Pets’ Farm has been full of new arrivals recently, and our latest additions are sure to make you smile.
Meet Big Brenda, Medium Margo and Tiny Tina – three friendly Kunekune piglets who have recently joined us here at Blair Drummond Safari Park.
Brenda is the biggest black piglet, Margo is the ginger one, and Tiny Tina – true to her name – is the smallest of the trio, with a black-and-white coat. Keep an eye out and see if you can spot who’s who when you visit!
The girls have settled into their new home brilliantly and have quickly won over our team with their curious, affectionate personalities. If you spot them waiting by the fence when you visit, they’re probably hoping for a gentle scratch – they absolutely love the attention!
Kunekune (pronounced cooney cooney) pigs are a native breed from New Zealand. Their name means “fat and round” in Māori – a pretty fitting description we think! They’re easy to recognise thanks to their short legs, rounded bodies and the distinctive fleshy tassels, called wattles, that hang beneath their chins.
Despite their reputation, pigs are naturally very clean animals. Given enough space, they’ll usually choose to toilet away from where they sleep and eat. They also wallow in mud to keep cool and protect their skin from the sun and biting insects – not because they’re dirty.
And here’s another surprise: if you get close enough to give them a scratch, you might notice Big Brenda, Medium Margo and Tiny Tina smell rather lovely. Our team reckon the girls smell a bit like maple syrup crossed with celery! Strange? Maybe. Pleasant? Definitely.
Unlike many other pig breeds, Kunekunes can thrive on a diet made up largely of grass, making them excellent conservation grazers. They’re also known for their gentle, sociable nature, which has made them popular on farms around the world.
If you’re visiting the park soon, be sure to stop by Pets’ Farm and say hello to Brenda, Margo and Tina. Along with our new giant rabbits and recently arrived chickens, they’re making Pets’ Farm an even more wonderful place to explore. We think you’ll fall in love with them just as quickly as we have.