The Year of the Boar by Gary Zalocha, General Cvrator
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A Publication of the Utica Zoological Society June 1995 Volume 3 Number 3 The Year oF the Boar by Gary Zalocha, General Cvrator The year's beginning has been At the end of every twelve years, the 1923, 1935, 1~7. 1959. 1971, 1983, 1995 ~ considered of great importance by cycle begins again. The year 1995 is lo.>r p«>ple Itt bro.,. •nd chivalrous. The y Itt bk~ with &rut inner stttnsth. cultures all over the world. The the "Year of the Boar" If you were In Asi.J. it is uid loo~ ~pie •re "bro4d In front •nd n.1now in INck," well Chinese call this time Yuan-tan, the born in "The Year of the Boar" you informed only on the surloce. Seek R•bbits 1nd Sheep; "day of origin" or San-Yuan, the are likely to be caring, trusting, ••old other Bo.>n. "-<.. "three beginnings"- of a new day, a naive, jolly, hard working, new month and a new year - but unpretentious, industrious and more commonly it is referred to as hospitable. quick- footed and good swimmers Hsin-nein or New Year. Whenever The boar is just one member of built for fighting and running. A Chinese New Year is mentioned, the pig family which includes many boar (male) usually grows to six the first thing that comes to the species. Included in that are five feet in length and stands three feet minds of most people is "What year genera, or major groups (bush pig, tall at the shoulders. The boar's is this?" This is because in China, wild boar, wart hog, giant forest weight can reach up to 420 pounds, each year is represented by a pig, and babirusa). The Genus has the sow's (female) up to 330 particular animal. The ongm is eight species and seventy-six pounds. Its teeth deserve special usually explained with a simple subspecies, including the Javan attention; the lower canines rise story. Wild Pig, Bomean Wild Boar, straight up outside the mouth White-whiskered Swine, Pygmy forming tusks, then curve Hog, Bearded Pig, and White backwards until they point towards ''A long time ago Buddha Lipped Peccary. the eyes . Tusks can grow up to a called together all the animals to Also included in the pig family foot in length and the wild boar has help guard and protect the year. are the domestic Essex pig and the only to lift its head sharply to rip Of all the animals, only twelve Yorkshire pig, which are descended open an enemy. answered the call. The last of them from the European Wild Boar. The A sow can give birth to as many was the boar. Although the boar earliest domestication date for pigs as fourteen piglets. The striped was awkward, stupid, clumsy, is uncertain, but it is unlikely to piglets weigh an average of one to unskillful, and dull he was have been before the Neolithic three pounds, are weaned in twelve unmoved, unaffected and not period, at about 7, 000 BC. We can weeks, and mature in eighteen irritated by the laughing of the be fairly sure that pig domestication months. The wild boar has a life other animals. He calmly took must have come about when span of up to twenty-seven years. everything in stride and was not humans ceased to be primarily Wild pigs may travel long aroused to anger in the least. For hunters and settled down to distances in a night rooting for that he got recognition; the boar agriculture. anything edible. Food below the became one of the twelve animals Wild boars are by no means surface is dug out with the snout. representing each year in a cycle ponderous, clumsy creatures like of twelve years. " their domestic relatives. They are IContin ued on page3••. Year ofthe Boar .. continued continuing our efforts towards believe. In fact, they are quite frompg.J conservation, the wild boar will clean and often paw sand against L--------------1 be in an SSP (species survival themselves, which is probably a Because of their super sense of plan) breeding program for cleaning action. smell, they are able to find food endangered species. You can see We are very excited about quickly, even if it is buried deep the animals rooting and our new arrivals this summer underground. They will eat wallowing in their newly and look forward to having you acorns and beech mast, roots of renovated exhibit in the hoofed join us for our "Year of the various kinds, fallen fruits, and mammal area of the zoo. Boar" celebration in June. even the roots of ferns that other The other pigs that will enter animals will not the zoo's eat. They have a animal natural tendency collection are to dig for the rare Collared and tasty potato- Peccaries, shaped fungi Holly, Nedita known as truffles. and Peanut In France, they join us from are used as Brookfield Zoo 111 Peccary 111 truffle-finders. m Chicago. C~lared They will also ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Collared eat insects, Peccaries, lizards, eggs, Evrasian Wild Boar which are • ···-·-········ nuce, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ found m • Otfier Exfii6it Openings earthworms, and deserts, •~ at tfie \t tkct Zoo any small birds they can seize, in woodlands and rain forests from • (completion dates fact a very mixed diet. the southern borders of the • approximate) The wild boar loves to United States to Argentina, are • June I • wallow in muddy lakes and much smaller than their wild • •~ Jnun~Qcs& • swamps. This routine helps to boar ancestors. They stand 20" • • Wnooper SW\lns •~ remove parasites from the skin, at the shoulder with a maximum • and in hot climates, the mud length of about 37", and a • • coating also helps to protect weight of up to 65 lbs. When a • /~ ~ / l'*' ~ against sun bum. Wild boars peccary is agitated, a crest of • ,----~~.. ~, appear to be immune to snake hairs on its spine are raised, • j : ·,·,.. ._. ' bites. exposing a scent gland on the • (/}_j,jj..,</ J • • ~~-~..::- .. • The Utica Zoo will be hosting lower back. This gland gives out • • a "Y car of the Boar" celebration an unpleasant musky odor •~ • in June. During this event we detectable at some distance. • Junel8 • will be presenting the opening of Alternative names for the •~ • two new animal exhibits. One peccary are the musk hog or • N ortfi 1'rek exhibit will feature the Eurasian javelina. The Spanish word •~ N Qture 1' n~te wild boar. The zoo has obtained javeline means spear. This •~ one male and two females from name is descriptive of the June30 the San Diego Zoo for breeding javelina's spear-like tusks. The •~ New EntrQnce & loan and exhibit. There are only speed and agility of the peccary •~ GtftSno_p five Zoos in the United States protects it from predators such and about twenty facilities as dogs, coyotes, and even •~ (QteSummer ~ worldwide that house the bobcats. Peccaries, like pigs, are Eurasian Wild Boar. In not dirty animals as many people •~ Wnite-n~ CrQnes •~ ••••••••••••• ,11 Don't miss the "Year of the Boar Celebration', June 1995 ~~ ~- june 27-july 2 Upstate Federal Credit Union & WKTV Channel2 Present the Utica ffio 1st Annual Elephant Wllk r --=--=-=- - ---- ~ ~c~ rn&1~ g ! ~ Elephant Rides Elephant Show• ! • $3.00 Admission 6pm .. 8pm 11am-4pm Zoo memben... $1.50 Non-memben... $.2.00 DaU y Animal f:r Sea U on Shows ,.____---= - -- ....::: Zoo Admission ~~~®~~~g 10am-5pm Golden Plop Challenge Cup ! • Sea Uon Shows ! Adults... $3.50 Animal Shows ! Chlldren... $1. 7 5 Surprises! (ages 2.-12.) Under aae .2 Free Repllar Admission Members Free Members Free ffo((and rorm!J ffapanowitz flarft.e-t ~ Burge-r King, S&ne-c,a Turnptke- Thank 't>u to These Businesses ·~ Jatj-K Lumbe-r That Display the 1 i S ' ica Zoo Donation Canislers r ' (jm&on iJ • fftrf\.watJ flobtf Utica Zoo School Saturdays at the Zoo will be wild when you enroll in any of our Zoo School classes. Our classes specialize in animals, fun and hands-on activities. Have you ever wanted to know how animals sleep, eat, and are cared for? Come to Zoo School and find out. We offer classes for everyone. So enroll now ... school has never been this wild before! Date Class Ages Tjme Sessjon June 24 Breakfast with the Beasts Ages: 7- 12 9 am- 11 am ZS1 A continental breakfast will be served as we join some of our education animals and learn about the importance of animal health and nutrition. We'll prepare some animal diets and then treat them to our culinary masterpieces! Cost: $8.00 Members $12.00 Non-members July 22 Feather, Fur & Scales Ages: 3- 5 with parent 10- 12 noon ZS2 Explore the Animal Kingdom with your pre-schooler through live-animal interaction, videos and crafts. Children will delight over the antics of our animals! (All children MUST be accompanied by an adult.) Cost: $8.00 Members $12.00 Non-members There is no charge for adults. July 29 Animals in Your Backyard Ages: 7- 12 10- 12 noon ZS3 Learn about the animals that share our own backyards. While hiking though the Zoo's new Nature Trail we'll learn how to look for signs of animal life. Cost: $8.00 Members $12.00 Non-members Aug 4-5 Overnight at the Zoo Ages: 8 - 13 7 pm - 9am ZS4 After setting up camp we'll tour the Zoo and enjoy the nocturnal world of animals. Evening snack and morning breakfast will be served. Participants must provide their own sleeping bags and pillows. Cost: $30.00 Members $35.00 Non-members August 26 Exploring the Rainforest Ages: 6 - 10 10 - 12 noon ZS5 Children will learn about this precious habitat through its animal inhabitants, crafts, and stories.