Kunekune pig

Physical features

• A typical kunekune (pronounced “cooney cooney”) is short-legged and short-snouted with a very round body due to high fat percentage. They are smaller than other breeds of pigs found in New Zealand.

• Kunekunes generally weigh between 120 and 240 pounds and can grow to be up to 30 inches in length.

• They have “tassels” called piri piri that hang from the lower jaw. It is a dominant trait among kunekunes, but not all kunekunes posses this trait.

• The coat colors vary greatly and include variations such as black, black and white, brown, gold, tan, and cream. Sometimes these will have randomly distributed spots and patches of color.

• Coat texture varies as well and ranges from short, silky hair to long, coarse, curly hair. Extensive hair loss within the summer months is common.

Diet: Herbivore

• Wild – grasses; They are grazers and not foragers like many other pig species.

• Zoo – pig chow, fruits, and vegetables

Reproduction

• Females, or sows, reach maturity at about 10 months old and can cycle every 18 to 24 days. Males, or boars, are generally mature at about 12 months old.

• The gestation period is about 116 days and a litter of piglets can number up to 12, but typically ranges from six to eight.

• Piglets are fully weaned by about four months old.

Interpretive Information

• The name kunekune means “fat and round” in Maori. The Maori are native peoples to areas of New Zealand and use the kunekunes as a source of food at times of feasting.

• Kunekunes are native to New Zealand, but their true origin is still under debate. Some believe that the Maori peoples brought them to the mainland in their canoes; however it is more likely that they arrived with Asian expeditions. This theory is thought to be true due to only Asian pigs carrying the trademark piri piri, which show up in the Kune as well.

Updated March 2007