Why Pigs Wallow

Video Transcript

"Pigs and wallowing. Wallowing is something that we've all heard of. Why is it that pigs wallow? What about wallowing is important to them and why do they like it. Out here we have a lovely pig wallow that belongs to Hazel the pig and you can see that she has created a hole and the rain has filled it with water. And she will go out there and lie in that water when she is too hot. If she needs to cool off, she will lie in that nice cool muddy water. She can also cover herself with mud and this is important because pigs like humans can get a sunburn. It will keep the sun off her skin if she is covered with mud and it will help keep insects, bugs, anything that might bother her or bite her off will also be kept off as long as she keeps a nice coating of mud. So when it is warm, she will spend most of her day lying in that wallow that she has made. Another interesting thing about a wallow is that she digs it herself but not with her feet. She digs it with her nose. She uses that great snout of hers to push mud and rocks and anything that gets in her way, she will push it right out of the way with her nose which is terrific to to me. What a good nose. "