Hamton J. Pig, Beardsley Zoo’s Guinea hog, dies at 14

BRIDGEPORT — Hamton J. Pig, Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo’s 14-year-old male Guinea hog, died Saturday due to “causes related to his advanced age,” according to a news release from the zoo.

Hamton was longtime resident of the zoo’s farmyard and reportedly died with his longtime animal caretakers beside him. He was a popular attraction at the zoo and, for a time, served as a “hognosticator,” picking winners in the men’s NCAA Basketball national championship.

“Hamton will be deeply missed by all of us here at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo,” said Zoo Director Gregg Dancho in a news release. “He represented a true American breed.”

A heritage hog breed, the Guinea hog is a small, black breed of swine unique to the United States. According to the zoo, the breed was once the most numerous pig breed found on homesteads in the Southeast, but the Guinea hog became rare as the habitat of the homestead hog disappeared.

The pigs can grow to a height of 21 to 24 inches and weigh 150 to 300 pounds. They have an advanced sense of taste and can quickly identify objects by tasting them. They are quick learners and have a substantial memory.

At one time almost extinct, Guinea hogs have made a resurgence, due to breeding efforts to save heritage livestock. According to the zoo, Hamton “carried essential traits for survival and self-sufficiency, including foraging ability, longevity, ability to mate naturally, and resistance to diseases and parasites.”

During his time at the zoo, Hamton fathered several offspring that now live around the United States.

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo / Contributed photo Hamton J. Pig, Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo’s 14-year-old male Guinea hog, died July 17 due to “causes related to his advanced age,” according to a news release from the zoo.