Two-Legged Pigs

In George Orwell's novel Animal Farm, the pigs created a maxim "Four legs good, two legs better!" But did you know that some pigs actually can walk on two legs? Rather like people, pigs are an adaptable, intelligent and persistent species. Here are some documented examples of pigs who didn't let the lack of a couple of legs get in their way.

While rare, congenital lack of hind legs in piglets has been recorded for many decades (e.g. Sumulong, 1906). There is also an inherited pattern of hind leg paralysis. The nature of the mutation does not same to have been identified.

This pig with a very attenuated body shows the most common type of viable two-lagged pig, with missing hindquarters. It was reportedly named Zhu Jianqiang which means "strong willed".

Unfortunate in some ways, but fortunate in others, Chris--a pot-bellied pig-- has no use of his hind legs but was provided with a wheelchair.It was made for him by his owner, veterinarian Len Lucerno.

After being posted on Youtube the little pig from Florida became and internet sensation. He has appeared on the TODAY show.

Chris has his own:

• Facebook page
• Twitter account

This pig has quite a job to do, just keeping balanced. But it has managed to survive and learned to walk. It even achieving a weight of 30 kilograms.

This little pig may not being going to market. After surviving being born without hind legs she learned to get around and become something of a porcine celebrity.

As of a 2010 report she weighed 50 kilograms and was earning more as an attraction than she ever would as bacon.

It seems that, for this pig, a 'can do' attitude turned a disability into a life-saving career! The other eight piglets in his litter are probably bacon by now.

You can see another two-legged piglet's walking method on this video from the Philippines. Apparently Putol is still alive and well today!

I am not sure of this particular two legged pig was capable of walking.

• Pig with paralyzed back legs
• Two legged sheep
• Three-legged piglet taxidermy (1871)

• Berge, S. "THE INHERITANCE OF PARAYLSED HIND LEGS, SCROTAL HERNIA AND ATRESIA ANI IN PIGS." Journal of Heredity 32, no. 8 (1941): 271-274.
• Carreon, Mariano. "The absence of both hind legs below the femur in a full-term pig." Philip. Journ. Sci 14 (1919): 201-206.
• Sumulong, Manuel D. "CONGENITAL ABSENCE OF BOTH HIND LEGS IN AN ADULT PIG." The Philippine Journal of Science 1 (1906): 147.