I have always read about the amazing intelligence of pigs. But what do they do that amazes people? Because they roll in mud? Why is that special? I love animals and believe in their intelligence. But what makes pigs special?
In: Biology
Eli5 answer is in experiments they show mental abilities on par with a human 4 to 6 year old. They plan, they consider, they organize, they change ideas, they have a vision in their heads of what’s going on in a ‘meta’ sense (like having a mental image of a maze as you go through it).
The usual tests are around memory and problem solving and using tools. They also display social and emotional intelligence to similar degrees.
Eli5 is that they’re basically a 4-6 year old human inside a pig body. Some things they can think and feel more deeply. Others a little worse. But in terms of how they’re experiencing the world and how they think and feel, it’s the best equivalent for us to understand.
They sold out all the other animals and sided with management for their own gain in Animal Farm. That’s pretty smart.
I refuse to eat pig because they are smart. When I found this out 20 years ago I stopped pork entirely.
Well they can speak human language. Drive cars and activate their sirens. Use firearms and nonlethal equipment. It’s just that they have a hard time understanding deeper topics such as constitutional rights and empathy.
We raised pigs when I was growing up. They kept getting out of pen so we put a couple strands of electric fence around it. First couple days was noisy as they got bit by the fence then one day they were out again. And again and again. After patching the fence we kind of stood back and watched them. The would gang up and take one unlucky fucker and crowd around him and literally push him through the electric fence. He would squeal like hell until the fence broke then they would all just mosey out the hole.
To explain like you’re five… you can turn off an electric fence for cows and they’ll probably never know.
Pigs will pile up dirt to short out the fence and all run away. Pigs will also take turns testing the fence multiple times daily and all break out soon as it’s off.
Honestly if chimps and feral hogs got together we’d be in for a world of hurt lol
They’re very good performers as evidenced in [Learned Pigs and Fire Proof Women](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learned_Pigs_%26_Fireproof_Women)
My pig found itself smart enough to hop over in the the barrier from his pen to the next pen and eat all of that pigs food and then go to the next one and eat all of that pigs food and then the next one and eat all of that pigs food and make his way back in time for when it was my turn my time to feed him he had already eaten three meals and would just be sitting there waiting for me and I would feed him and he would eat that. That’s why he gained so much weight and got sifted at the fat stock show.
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