Security Pig (deceased)

• Name: Security Pig (deceased)
• Species: Feral Hog
• Age: 6 years old
• Weight: 135 lbs
• Sex: Female
• Special Needs: Showed advanced signs of Brucellosis. Returned to our facility to die in a happy place.
• Personality: #2 female assigned role of Security Pig.  One of the most intelligent and fearless of the sows.  She holds the line on traditional feral hog rules of conduct and society and was very risk adverse.  She refused to be bred and have offspring until her sister Big Mama passed away.  She then became a very good mother.  Not aggressive to human researchers, but would only approach closer as she got older.
• Favorite Food: Dog bone treats, corn
• Family: One of the original pack with Mean Moma (sister).
• Likes: Being left alone.  Being Security Pig. Loves Big Red.
• Dislikes: All males. Bears. All Dogs. All Humans. Anything that is a potential threat to the sounder – which is everything.
• Needs: Deceased.

Security Pig was one of the original pigs we first met.  In her role as the Security Pig, her position required her to assess threats and if necessary, challenge them. This is a critical position in the herd requiring a smart and fearless female, usually, but Security Pig had a young boar she was training until CoCo came of age.  The Security Pig stays on the outskirts of the sounder/group and listens and looks for potential threats.  If a threat was detected, the Security Pig would sound the alarm, and unlike the others in the pack that run away, would head directly to the threat to challenge it and if necessary fight it or lead it away from the pack. 

Security Pig was a thin, long snouted, hairy-eared pig, and not the prettiest of the herd.  But she was one of the most respected and cared for pigs.  The herd would save her food and one of the group would take her place while she ate.  She liked her job to the point that she would not allow any boars near her to mate, although she did really like the company of Big Red. They would often sleep together and eat side by side.

In one memorable event, Big Red had cut a palm frond and was bringing it to Security Pig as a love offering.  Macon, just becoming mature and eager to assert himself, took the palm frond from Big Red and then carried it boldly to Security Pig.  Having witnessed the theft, Security Pig proceeded to attack Macon and chase him around the yard.  He obviously was not getting away with taking Big Red’s gift from him and he was not going to earn her adoration that way. When Big Red died from complications of Brucellosis, Security Pig was clearly depressed.  She disappeared for several weeks.  It wasn’t until Big Mama passed away that Security Pig would become pregnant and raise her litters. Once she was pregnant, Security Pig soon gained weight and started looking like a healthy pig.  During her pregnancies, she would love to wade into the middle of the Pig Pond and soak in the cool water and soft mud.  She would continue to disappear for weeks at a time, we assumed she was living her life as a true feral pig and needed this adjustment as she started to grow closer to us.  This past summer, Security Pig returned after being gone for about two months.  She was frail and obviously suffering from Brucellosis.  We knew she did not have long to live and were surprised she came “home” one last time to soak in the Pig Pond.  One night she slowly walked into the woods and we never saw her again. She was a good pig.