Nonfiction

Clean, Lean, and Smart

What mammal is clean, lean, and smart? You might be surprised to hear—it’s the pig.

We often see pigs in mud, but they really like to be clean. Pigs take baths in water, but they also take mud baths. Rolling in mud helps them stay cool because they don’t sweat. Mud also acts as a sunscreen to protect them from the sun.

Wild pigs stay slim because they are picky eaters. They use their super sense of smell to root for food underground. They eat slowly to enjoy the food they find. They nibble instead of gobble their food.

Best of all, pigs are really smart! Pigs are the fourth most intelligent animal on Earth. Pigs can learn to do things on command like sit, fetch, and catch. Pigs have excellent memories, too. They can remember where they stored food and how to get home. They can also recognize other pigs and humans!