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Male red river hog arrives from the USA!

in Animals
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We welcomed a male red river hog to Colchester Zoo on the 20th April from Oklahoma Zoo in America! He is currently being kept separate to our existing family of hogs made up of David and his 5 offspring, but it is hoped he will gradually meet them all in the near future.

The male red river hog came to us with a name of Piggles Jr, his name comes from the fact that his father was "knighted" by Prince William when he was visiting New York and made a stop at the Bronx Zoo in 2008. The legend goes that the red river hog was then renamed Sir Pigglesworth a named which has been passed on through the generations with our latest arrival being nicknamed Piggles Jr!

Red river hogs such as ours have a bristly coat, which can vary from reddish to greyish-brown, and a white mane running down their backs.  Red River Hogs will feed on almost anything - roots, leaves, grubs, small vertebrates, insects and they communicate with one another using squeaks, grunts and chirrups.

You can see our family of hogs at the Edge of African section and we’ll keep you updated on Piggles Jr as he settles in to his new home. 

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5.00pm close or dusk if earlier
Last admission to zoo grounds at 4.00pm

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