PIGS ROUTE TO FIJI

Name: Lasaro Saqanavere Gonerara

Id number: s11078011
Course code: Ag471
PIG DOMESTICATION
Pigs are called swine or hogs that are biologically linked to the Suidae family
and are part of the Artiodactylar or even toed ungulates.
The journal About Pigs, 2015, clarify that approximately 900 years ago the
domesticated pigs( Sus scrofa) originated in a range of North Africa, Asia and
Europe.
17th century wild boars become extinct in the Britain as result of hunting and
habitat destruction, but since then they have been reintroduced.
In between 17th and 18th century, Spanish settlers brought in pigs to Florida as
free range. This free range pigs spread through out the region.
Today feral pigs (domesticated pigs and has return to the wild) are
widespread and are mostly found in the tropics.
 PIGS ORIGIN IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC
• Pigs were bought to Hawaii about 800 years ago by Polynesians whom first inhabit the islands.
Long before captain cook even explore the island, with the shipping of live animals (Staff, 2016).
•There was are suggestion that PNG pigs were introduced 3,500 years ago, with an observation
based on the DNA, that the pedigree was descendent from are Sus scrofa (Ayalew, 2011). Today
people believed that it derived from south east Asia, which now known as indigenous pigs.
However, the taxonomy and historical dispersal was never understood.
•De Surville, first introduced pigs to New Zealand in1796, who gave two pigs to two Maori people
in Doubtless bay (Clarke and Dzieciolowski, 2012).
•According to Pickering, Sus Scrofa pigs were brought to Australia at the era of European
settlement as are food source, it was then distributed around the country by 19th centaury settlers.
INTRODUCTION OF PIGS IN FIJI
Image Source: Breeds of Pigs at
Koronivia Research Station, Fiji, by
Mosese Ravitu.
• There were several beliefs on the exact date of pigs
introduction to Fiji. This hypothesis has create are timeline on
the possible arrivals of pigs to Fiji. But in fact, the findings
was are collaboration of archeologist, explorers and
historian facts that placed the timeline in are more realistic
way. The arrival of the first Melanesian settlers in Fiji, at
least 3,500 years ago. The settlers carries wide rage of
plants, pigs and pottery known as Lapita ware (Barrie and
Sophie,2019) .
• James Cook pass the south eastern in 1774 with the interest
of sandal wood traders. According to the reading there is
are belief that Captain Cook left pigs on Tonga taboo, Fiji
on his third voyage (John, 2003).
BREED OF PIGS IN FIJI

Cross between Indigenous

and Large white

Land race Indigenous boar

Large white
Duroc
Image Source: Breeds of Pigs at Koronivia Research Station, Fiji, by Mosese
Ravitu.
 SUMMARY
•History of pigs route to Fiji is still foggy as are result of poor documentation.
•Today, the indigenous pigs or feral pigs has interbreed with recent exotic
breeds (Duroc, Landrace and Large white) where there is rarely any true
breed.
•Pigs known as living bank that benefits farmers in terms of economic gain.
•Thus, understanding the history of pigs origin and genome can help improve
pig production in relation to animal welfare.
REFERENCE
(2015) About Pigs. The Humane Society of the United States.
AYALEW, W., et al. (2011) Genetic and
cultural significance of indigenous pigs in Papua New Guinea and their
phenotypic characteristics. Animal Genetic Resources, 48, 38.
BARRIE, M. and SOPHIE, F. (2019) Fiji republic, Pacific Ocean.).
CLARKE, C. M. H. and DZIECIOLOWSKI, R. M. (2012) Feral pigs in the northern South Island,
New Zealand: I. Origin, distribution, and densit. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand,
21 (3).
JOHN, L. L. (2003) Introduced Mammals of the World. CSIRO Publishing.
PICKERING, A. Pig Peril.).
RAVITU, M. (2018) Koronivia Research Station, Fiji.).
STAFF, H. (2016) Polynesians likely introduced feral pigs to Hawaii.).