SchweinErleben

Context

How much wild boar is still left in our domestic pig? We are investigating this question in the "SchweinErleben" project. We want to find out how domestic pigs behave in a natural environment including forests, pastures and wallows. This knowledge will help us improve the conditions in which pigs are kept and, thus, the welfare of these exceptionally intelligent and exciting animals. Only if we know what they like to do and how often they do it, we can offer them the same experiences in a barn.

About the project

To learn more about the natural behaviour of domestic pigs, we are observing a group of three sows and their piglets for three years. They live in an outdoor enclosure in the canton of Lucerne, and are monitored by over 20 cameras. The cameras record how the pigs sleep, suckle, forage in the forest, play, fight or wallow in the mud.

Participate in the project

Do you enjoy animal documentaries? Would you like to find out more about pigs, an animal we hardly ever see in everyday life? Then we look forward to your support. We are looking for people who help us assess short video clips of the pigs in the enclosure. You will be shown 10-second video clips and then asked a few questions about the pigs' behaviour. On our website, you will find a short video tutorial explaining exactly what you should look out for.

As a behavioural researcher in our project, you will learn more about the natural behaviour of pigs. You might even discover funny scenes or a fox scurrying through the enclosure. In any case, great prizes await the most diligent researchers, e.g., a guided tour of the pigs’ enclosure with pig experts or products from the farm. Anyone aged 10 and over can participate.

Everything clear? Use the following link to get started right away: citizenscience.ch/schweinerleben/en