The Vietnamese Pot-bellied Pig (“Lon I”) is a traditional domestic pig breed from Nam Dinh province in Vietnam’s Red River Delta, known for its short legs and prominent belly that hangs low near the ground. It usually has a uniform black color, with heavily wrinkled skin and arched back, having a short snout and small ears, while in domestic breeding, varieties with white patches or brown shades have also appeared
Habits
Lives extensively, naturally foraging for plant debris, roots and tubers, but can also consume insects or small amounts of animal matter; it’s a sociable species that adapts well to both wet and marshy habitats, as well as small-scale farms
Reproduction
The female has a gestation period of approximately 114 days and typically gives birth to 6-8 piglets per litter; can have two generations per year under favorable conditions, and piglets begin eating solid food after 2-3 weeks
Distribution
Native to Vietnam’s Red River Delta, the Vietnamese Pot-bellied Pig was exported in the 1960s to Canada and Sweden for research and zoos, then to the USA and Europe as a pet; feral populations have established in parts of Spain and North America, adapting to rural, urban, and wetland environments
