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Tuesday 20 April 2010

TEA TUESDAY


I miss my lovely girlfriend Denise she lives in Dubai.... Hello Denise, Miss you loads.

Tea Tuesday is here again .....it comes around mighty quick.
I thought that today I would share with you a piece of news I found on MSN UK all pictures and words I borrowed from them.

Three rare woolly pigs have arrived at a zoo in Essex as part of a programme to help save the breed from extinction.



The Mangalitzas originate from Austria and Hungary and were brought over to the UK by a breeder almost four years ago.

"At first sight people think they are sheep," said Denise Cox, education co-ordinator at Tropical Wings in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex. "It is not until they turn around and you see their faces and snouts you realise they are in fact pigs."

"The woolly coat makes them very hardy and helps them to survive in the harsh winters in their native Austria and Hungary," Denise added. "In the summer it helps protects them from sunburn."


The sheep pig used to be a common sight in Lincolnshire, but it became extinct in Britain in 1972. The creature used to be shorn once a year to make wool for men's sweaters.

The sheep pigs are worth around £1,000, five times the value of an ordinary pig. They are fond of fruit and the occasional tipple.

"We want to show people what these native woolly pigs used to look like and ensure the breed remains in this country and survives," explained Denise Cox. "They have already become a real talking point at the zoo and everyone loves them."



Hair from a sheep pig is popular in the US as it retains air bubbles under water, making it perfect for tying fishing flies.

Don't you just LOVE them, but no mention of taste or whether they Blah or Oink!!! LOL
If you would like to join in with our Tea Tuesdays then pop over to the lovely Kimmies blog over H E R E.
Thanks for joining me.
Chriss x

10 comments:

~*~Patty S said...

Precious tea card for your friend Chriss ... makes me miss her too ;)

AND I never ... a sheep look alike with a snout ... oink oink ... too cute
your lovely tea post has made me itchy to visit a public farm nearby with lots of baby animals in spring I'm sure!

Great tea post, I Love learning new things!
oxo

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

What a darling "miss you" card and pig story. I have to admit, I've never heard of these pigs. It's a real shame the woolly pig is nearly extinct. They are adorable and need name recognition. And to think all we in the US care about is to use their wool to "tie fishing flies."

Tea Tuesday can be SO educational. Thanks for this lovely post.

Karen said...

oh oh oh...I love pigs and got sooo excited when I saw this one!!!!! He/she is sooo beautiful. Thank you for finding this Chriss.

Thank you for the lovely comment on my blog my lovely. I have just been a bit pooped lately so haven't been crafting. But i have done some DT stuff which I can't blog yet haha! Awe you are lovely XXX

Unknown said...

Oh my goodness - they are soooooo cute!!!! I'd love to touch one and see how they feel :) I'm so glad people work so hard to keep animals from going extinct - I can't imagine the world without these sweet pigs - now that I've seen one :)

Happy T today!!! Kimmie

Dawn said...

Oh my Godddd!! They are adorable, haven't seen the like before!!!!

Amazing!
TFS

Dawn
xxx

ooglebloops said...

I have never heard of these pigs- sure would love to have one!!!They are adorable, altho pricey!!!

Dianne said...

That's the cutest pig I've ever seen... except my piglet "Pork Chop" I had when I was a kid... He was white with black spots... a lot like a Dalmation dog!

Debby said...

Ah!!!!!! They are so sweet...
Great post.
debby

Lynn Stevens said...

oh my gosh, have never seen anything like them! Adorable!

Prizler Photography said...

Those are the cutest pigs I've ever seen! I love animals and thank you for sharing them.