Casertana pig facts for kids
| Conservation status | FAO (2007): critical |
|---|---|
| Other names |
|
| Country of origin | Italy |
| Traits | |
| Weight |
|
| Notes | |
| Breed standard | |
|
|
The Casertana is a special type of pig that comes from southern Italy. It is mainly found in a region called Campania, especially around the city of Caserta. This is where its name, Casertana, comes from! In the past, you could also find these pigs in other nearby areas like Campobasso and Naples.
This pig breed has two very interesting features. First, it has almost no hair, or sometimes no hair at all! This is why it's also called Pelatella, which means "hairless one." Second, it has two small, tube-shaped growths hanging from its throat. These are called wattles.
The Casertana pig is one of only six native pig breeds officially recognized by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture. This means it's a unique part of Italy's animal heritage.
History of the Casertana Pig
Long ago, the Casertana pig was very common in Italy. In 1942, for example, there were more than 50,000 of them just in the Caserta area!
However, after the middle of the 1900s, the number of these pigs dropped a lot. Many native Italian pig breeds faced this problem. The Casertana pig almost disappeared completely.
To help protect this special breed, a special record book was started in 2001. This book keeps track of all the Casertana pigs. Even with these efforts, there are still not many of them left. At the end of 2007, there were only 594 Casertana pigs. Because of this low number, the FAO (a big international group) said the breed's status was "critical." By the end of 2012, there were only 403 pigs registered. Efforts are still being made to help this unique pig breed grow its numbers again.
