Newborn African piglet ‘unexpectedly attacked’ and killed by hog, Texas zoo says
_fitted.png "A newborn red river hog piglet is dead, killed in an attack by another hog at a Texas Zoo, officials said.")
Less than a week after announcing the birth of a tiny and “demure” African piglet, a Texas zoo is mourning after it was fatally attacked.
The piglet, born Wednesday, Aug. 21, hadn’t yet been named by staff at the Houston Zoo, but it already captured plenty of hearts — with many exclaiming “adorable” and “precious” at the zoo’s Aug. 23 announcement.
But on Aug. 25, just two days after sharing the good news, the zoo said the newborn red river hog is dead, and that an adult hog was responsible.
“Despite our team’s best efforts, the piglet passed away after being unexpectedly attacked by another female hog in the group,” zoo officials said.
Many expressed condolences to zoo staff and to the newborn’s mother, Pinto, but other commenters questioned how and why this could happen, and if more should have been done to prevent it.
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Zoo officials said the piglet’s death is a tragic example of nature taking its course.
“In the wild, animals sometimes display aggression toward young ones, especially when establishing social hierarchies within their groups. While difficult for all of us, it’s important to recognize that such behaviors are part of the complex natural world,” officials said.
The zoo didn’t say if this incident will change the way it cares for the hogs going forward. It’s also unclear what, if anything, has been done regarding the hog that attacked the newborn.
McClatchy News reached out to the zoo for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
“We appreciate your understanding and support during this challenging time,” officials said in the post. “Our dedicated animal care team continues to monitor our red river hog family closely to ensure their well-being.”
Red river hogs are native to Africa, and are considered “the most colorful member of the pig family,” sporting fur in a variety of combinations including red, of course, and also brown and black, according to the Smithsonian. They frequently sport a white stripe along their backs and white fur on their faces, which gives the appearance of a mask.