Pygmy Hogs

I'm really pushing the boundaries of ugly on this one, but pigs are pigs, and they are always welcome here.

What? Pigs? Yes, you're looking at the world's smallest and rarest wild pig on the planet. The pygmy hog (Porcula salvania) weighs in at most 20 lbs, and only reaches 10-12 inches high. They were once thought to be extinct, but convervation efforts and captive breeding programs have allowed this diminutive pig to be rereleased into the wild of northern India.

Only sixteen of them now roam free (semi-free--they are still within a larger enclosure), so let's wish them the best of luck. Hopefully the mini boars and mini sows will be feeling the love over these next few years. Perhaps the officials at the Sonai Rupai wildlife sanctuary will be playing some Barry White over the sanctuary grounds come breeding time.

Thanks for the link, Ida.

Photo source: BBC News