Pigs are complex, social, intelligent and emotional animals. Their brains are similar enough to humans to be useful in neuroscientific research. They feel pain and have a maternal instinct. They are motivated by food, react differently to different types of music, and are more animated after playing with toys.
Pigs do not sweat and they are not dirty animals either. Rolling around to cool off when it’s hot and if no water is available, they bathe in their own urine, but when they can, they are meticulously hygienic.
These are some of the discoveries that scientists have made in recent years. A study published in March found that pigs’ snoring changes depending on its emotional context. If they are happy it is deeper, but if they are stressed it is more acute. “Pigs are definitely in scientific fashion,” says Alistair Lawrence, professor of animal behavior and welfare at Rural College Scotland.
Also in Budapest, at the Eötvös Loránd University, researchers realized that pigs are different from dogsbut just as smart. The Financial Times newspaper explains that when faced with a problem that is difficult to solve, dogs seek the help of humans to find their way around, but pigs continue to try to solve it on their own.
Another example showing that dogs are more dependent on humans is that when they are placed in an unfamiliar room with a stranger present, they will approach their owners, while pigs do not. The researchers believe that some of these differences may be explained by the way pigs have been domesticated for fewer years than dogs.
Source: Observadora
