|
|
 | | From: | Don H | | Subject: | Pigs is equal | | Date: | Fri, 17 Dec 2004 21:27:11 GMT |
|
|
 | There was an amusing re-creation of "the Legend of the Tamworth Two" on
ABC-TV the other night; story of two pigs which escaped on way to abattoirs,
and whose case was adopted by the national press in Britain in January 1998.
"Butch and Sundance" managed to elude capture for some time, and apparently
so endeared themselves to the public they were rewarded with retirement, and
spared the slaughter-house. Other films re pigs: "Babe"; "Razorback".
The pig species is a successful survivor, being highly adaptable where
food is concerned, and, like us, omnivorous. The domestic pig grows
rapidly, becoming porker in six months, and baconer in nine. It can easily
revert to wild state if released, and fend for itself.
They've been trained as "sniffer dogs" at airports; and a pig brought up
with dogs will act like a dog. Being quite intelligent, especially where
food is concerned, they can be trained as circus animals.
The hippopotamus ("river horse") is their cousin.
A peasant saying sums it up: "Cats looks down on you, dogs looks up to
you, but pigs is equal."
======================================
|
|
| | From: | AG Wolfe | | Subject: | Re: Pigs is equal | | Date: | Sat, 18 Dec 2004 12:03:24 +1100 |
|
|
|
Don H wrote:
> There was an amusing re-creation of "the Legend of the Tamworth Two" on
> ABC-TV the other night; story of two pigs which escaped on way to abattoirs,
> and whose case was adopted by the national press in Britain in January 1998.
> "Butch and Sundance" managed to elude capture for some time, and apparently
> so endeared themselves to the public they were rewarded with retirement, and
> spared the slaughter-house. Other films re pigs: "Babe"; "Razorback".
> The pig species is a successful survivor, being highly adaptable where
> food is concerned, and, like us, omnivorous.
Hi
yeah, interesting animals with a bad rap ! i always found it interesting
that, given the chance, prefer to build a 'nest' for sleeping/raising
young, usually in long grass near water.
> A peasant saying sums it up: "Cats looks down on you, dogs looks up to
> you, but pigs is equal."
yeah, good one.
cheers, A.
|
|
| | From: | Don H | | Subject: | Re: Pigs is equal | | Date: | Sat, 18 Dec 2004 20:17:16 GMT |
|
|
| Pigs are generally clean animals, given the chance - eg. in open pasture,
not confined to a sty. They might like to wallow in mud, but that helps
prevent sunburn, removes external parasites. Put a pig on one side of a
fence, and food on the other - the pig will find some way of getting to the
food. The religious ban on eating pork (animals with cloven hoof) is
irrelevant in an age of meat inspectors.
The camel is another animal with an undeserved reputation; it might look
grumpy, but is actually a friendly animal, with a sense of humour. It is
more intelligent than a horse; when used as a draught animal years ago
pulling wool wagons, it would try and figure a way of getting a wagon wheel
out of a pothole, instead of merely using brute force.
The owl is not wise, but can be rather stupid.
Animal psychology is a fascinating topic.
================================
"AG Wolfe" wrote in message
news:41C381DC.7090804@optusnet.com.au...
>
>
> Don H wrote:
>
> > There was an amusing re-creation of "the Legend of the Tamworth Two" on
> > ABC-TV the other night; story of two pigs which escaped on way to
abattoirs,
> > and whose case was adopted by the national press in Britain in January
1998.
> > "Butch and Sundance" managed to elude capture for some time, and
apparently
> > so endeared themselves to the public they were rewarded with retirement,
and
> > spared the slaughter-house. Other films re pigs: "Babe"; "Razorback".
> > The pig species is a successful survivor, being highly adaptable where
> > food is concerned, and, like us, omnivorous.
>
>
>
> Hi
> yeah, interesting animals with a bad rap ! i always found it interesting
> that, given the chance, prefer to build a 'nest' for sleeping/raising
> young, usually in long grass near water.
>
>
> > A peasant saying sums it up: "Cats looks down on you, dogs looks up to
> > you, but pigs is equal."
>
>
> yeah, good one.
>
> cheers, A.
>
>
|
|
| | From: | Vossaka | | Subject: | Re: Pigs is equal | | Date: | Sun, 02 Jan 2005 11:45:38 GMT |
|
|
|
"Don H" wrote in message
news:gf0xd.77679$K7.18611@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Pigs are generally clean animals, given the chance - eg. in open pasture,
> not confined to a sty. They might like to wallow in mud, but that helps
> prevent sunburn, removes external parasites. Put a pig on one side of a
> fence, and food on the other - the pig will find some way of getting to
> the
> food. The religious ban on eating pork (animals with cloven hoof) is
> irrelevant in an age of meat inspectors.
> The camel is another animal with an undeserved reputation; it might look
> grumpy, but is actually a friendly animal, with a sense of humour. It is
> more intelligent than a horse; when used as a draught animal years ago
> pulling wool wagons, it would try and figure a way of getting a wagon
> wheel
> out of a pothole, instead of merely using brute force.
> The owl is not wise, but can be rather stupid.
Love those silent feathers though, I'll never forget a demonstration at the
Currumbin one day, first the guy had an eagle fly to his arm. Heard the
wings flapping loud and clear. Then the owl - total silence.
Anyway, just to be pedantic, I don't know if wisdom and intelligence are the
same thing. I think that they might meet at right angles.
Vossaka
> Animal psychology is a fascinating topic.
> ================================
> "AG Wolfe" wrote in message
> news:41C381DC.7090804@optusnet.com.au...
>>
>>
>> Don H wrote:
>>
>> > There was an amusing re-creation of "the Legend of the Tamworth Two" on
>> > ABC-TV the other night; story of two pigs which escaped on way to
> abattoirs,
>> > and whose case was adopted by the national press in Britain in January
> 1998.
>> > "Butch and Sundance" managed to elude capture for some time, and
> apparently
>> > so endeared themselves to the public they were rewarded with
>> > retirement,
> and
>> > spared the slaughter-house. Other films re pigs: "Babe"; "Razorback".
>> > The pig species is a successful survivor, being highly adaptable
>> > where
>> > food is concerned, and, like us, omnivorous.
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi
>> yeah, interesting animals with a bad rap ! i always found it interesting
>> that, given the chance, prefer to build a 'nest' for sleeping/raising
>> young, usually in long grass near water.
>>
>>
>> > A peasant saying sums it up: "Cats looks down on you, dogs looks up
>> > to
>> > you, but pigs is equal."
>>
>>
>> yeah, good one.
>>
>> cheers, A.
>>
>>
>
>
|
|
| | From: | quietguy | | Subject: | Re: Pigs is equal | | Date: | Sun, 02 Jan 2005 23:58:09 +1100 |
|
|
| It is stunning to watch them fly so quietly - I raised a baby owl some while
ago and was facinated to watch it learn to catch mice in near darkness - and so
cute.
David
Vossaka wrote
>
> Love those silent feathers though, I'll never forget a demonstration at the
> Currumbin one day, first the guy had an eagle fly to his arm. Heard the
> wings flapping loud and clear. Then the owl - total silence.
>
>
|
|
| | From: | Don H | | Subject: | Re: Pigs is equal | | Date: | Tue, 04 Jan 2005 09:41:22 GMT |
|
|
| Both owls and eagles have very keen eyesight; the owl has to see in near
darkness, and glide silently to catch something as alert as a mouse. An
eagle can see a small mammal move from a great distance, and while it might
flap its wings to take off, glides down for the final pounce. Speed is
essential in both cases, as is surprise. On the other hand, carrion eaters
don't bother to be silent; vultures and condors. Birds who are the prey of
hawks come to be good "plane spotters" and recognise the silhouette above
them; as compared with that of ducks and geese.
I remember bushwalking one time, and we trudged across a valley towards a
bare tree with a solitary object on a branch. As we approached, we saw it
was a wedge-tailed eagle, which took off, and, with a single flap of its
wings, glided across the valley which it had taken us half an hour to
traverse. Pigs, of course, don't fly - or not yet.
====================================
"quietguy" wrote in message
news:41D7EFD0.E9C615D1@REMOVE-TO-REPLYoptusnet.com.au...
> It is stunning to watch them fly so quietly - I raised a baby owl some
while
> ago and was facinated to watch it learn to catch mice in near darkness -
and so
> cute.
>
> David
>
> Vossaka wrote
>
> >
> > Love those silent feathers though, I'll never forget a demonstration at
the
> > Currumbin one day, first the guy had an eagle fly to his arm. Heard the
> > wings flapping loud and clear. Then the owl - total silence.
> >
> >
>
|
|
| | From: | Jas | | Subject: | Re: Pigs is equal | | Date: | Wed, 5 Jan 2005 20:55:07 +1000 |
|
|
| According to the David Attenborough series "Life of Birds", owls mostly use
sound to find prey, which is why they have to be so silent themselves.
"Don H" wrote in message
news:6xtCd.102902$K7.88645@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Both owls and eagles have very keen eyesight; the owl has to see in near
> darkness, and glide silently to catch something as alert as a mouse. An
> eagle can see a small mammal move from a great distance, and while it
might
> flap its wings to take off, glides down for the final pounce. Speed is
> essential in both cases, as is surprise. On the other hand, carrion
eaters
> don't bother to be silent; vultures and condors. Birds who are the prey
of
> hawks come to be good "plane spotters" and recognise the silhouette above
> them; as compared with that of ducks and geese.
> I remember bushwalking one time, and we trudged across a valley towards
a
> bare tree with a solitary object on a branch. As we approached, we saw it
> was a wedge-tailed eagle, which took off, and, with a single flap of its
> wings, glided across the valley which it had taken us half an hour to
> traverse. Pigs, of course, don't fly - or not yet.
> ====================================
> "quietguy" wrote in message
> news:41D7EFD0.E9C615D1@REMOVE-TO-REPLYoptusnet.com.au...
> > It is stunning to watch them fly so quietly - I raised a baby owl some
> while
> > ago and was facinated to watch it learn to catch mice in near darkness -
> and so
> > cute.
> >
> > David
> >
> > Vossaka wrote
> >
> > >
> > > Love those silent feathers though, I'll never forget a demonstration
at
> the
> > > Currumbin one day, first the guy had an eagle fly to his arm. Heard
the
> > > wings flapping loud and clear. Then the owl - total silence.
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
|
|
| | From: | Don H | | Subject: | Re: Pigs is equal | | Date: | Thu, 06 Jan 2005 17:35:13 GMT |
|
|
| It's possible, but I doubt it; maybe supplements eyesight. Depends on pupil
expansion of nocturnal or dusk predators, such as cats and crocodiles (and
owls), as compared with their aural ability. An insectivorous bat certainly
uses hearing (as "radar"); its eyesight being relatively poor - though a
fructivous bat (flying fox) has good eyesight, and "normal" hearing - like a
greyhound. Mice have large mobile ears, to detect predators, as do most
other mammal prey.
Pigs have well-developed nasal ability for food-seeking; eyes and ears less
so. Any wild boar is a formidable animal. Hippopotamus, cousin of the pig,
has largest jaws of any land animal, and can bite a lion or croc in half.
===================================
"Jas" wrote in message
news:41dbc78e@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> According to the David Attenborough series "Life of Birds", owls mostly
use
> sound to find prey, which is why they have to be so silent themselves.
> "Don H" wrote in message
> news:6xtCd.102902$K7.88645@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> > Both owls and eagles have very keen eyesight; the owl has to see in near
> > darkness, and glide silently to catch something as alert as a mouse. An
> > eagle can see a small mammal move from a great distance, and while it
> might
> > flap its wings to take off, glides down for the final pounce. Speed is
> > essential in both cases, as is surprise. On the other hand, carrion
> eaters
> > don't bother to be silent; vultures and condors. Birds who are the prey
> of
> > hawks come to be good "plane spotters" and recognise the silhouette
above
> > them; as compared with that of ducks and geese.
> > I remember bushwalking one time, and we trudged across a valley
towards
> a
> > bare tree with a solitary object on a branch. As we approached, we saw
it
> > was a wedge-tailed eagle, which took off, and, with a single flap of its
> > wings, glided across the valley which it had taken us half an hour to
> > traverse. Pigs, of course, don't fly - or not yet.
> > ====================================
> > "quietguy" wrote in message
> > news:41D7EFD0.E9C615D1@REMOVE-TO-REPLYoptusnet.com.au...
> > > It is stunning to watch them fly so quietly - I raised a baby owl some
> > while
> > > ago and was facinated to watch it learn to catch mice in near
darkness -
> > and so
> > > cute.
> > >
> > > David
> > >
> > > Vossaka wrote
> > >
> > > >
> > > > Love those silent feathers though, I'll never forget a demonstration
> at
> > the
> > > > Currumbin one day, first the guy had an eagle fly to his arm. Heard
> the
> > > > wings flapping loud and clear. Then the owl - total silence.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
|
|
|
