T. R. Todd - Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs

Praise for the Swimming Pigs of Exuma

The Bahamas is famous for sun, sandand swimming pigs.

National Geographic

If you make it down to The Exumas, a trip to Pig Island is a must. It had been on my bucket list for a very long time, and it was even better than I could have imagined.

The Londoner

As your boat approaches Big Major Cay, youre awoken from this daydream by some rather boorish inhabitants: loud, snorting pigs paddling out to greet you like a jolly bunch of golden retrievers rushing to the door when their owner finally gets home from a long day of work.

Travel & Leisure

The Bahamas, an alluring chain of islands surrounded by luminous turquoise waters, is an ideal place to bask in the bright Caribbean sun or snorkel with rainbows of fish. Turns out its also the best place in the world to hit the sands with some rather unusual local beach bums: swimming pigs.

Lonely Planets Marvels of the Modern World

People want this semi-wild, unpredictable pig experience and can become unbelievably and uproariously happy, despite the fact that they probably ate bacon and eggs for breakfast.

New York Times Magazine

The pigs are now celebrities, from fans posting on Instagram, visits from celebrities ranging from Donald Trump Jr. to Bella Hadid, and an appearance on ABCs The Bachelor .

CNBC

They dont fly, but swimming pigs are quite famous. From posting with celebs like Amy Schumer, to appearing on the bachelor and the Angry Birds trailer, and they are even featured in a documentary.

NBC s Today Show

Everyone from Amy Schumer to Jennifer Lawrence and Johnny Depp have visited the remote island in the Exumas, where the now Insta-famous pigs spend their days swimming in the clear, warm Caribbean Sea and waiting for their celebrity fans to visit. Their fame even means theyve graduated from social media to music videosappearing in Pitbulls video for Timberso basically: we give it a year until these fame-hungry pigs are on Celebrity Big Brother .

Heat World

Copyright 2018 by T. R. Todd

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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Mona Lin

Cover photo credit: Jakob Owens

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-3885-0

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-3886-7

Printed in China

For Lydia and Sofia

Pigs can fly

Contents

I am fond of pigs.

Dogs look up to us.

Cats look down on us.

Pigs treat us as equals.

Winston Churchill

Credit: Howie Sonnenschein.

Foreword

The Pig Complex

W hen author T. R. Todd asks, Is there more to this pig than meets the eye? he is referring to a conversation in the famous E. B. White childrens classic Charlottes Web . But he could also be talking about an age-old dilemma that humans have faced since the beginning of time: how do we look any animal in the eye, think how remarkable they are, even attribute to them the same kind of emotions that we feel, and then turn around and have a piece of that very same type of animal for breakfast or dinner?

In this little gem of a book, Todd tackles the tough questions in a way that first invites us to wander with him, then reels us in willingly, almost hypnotized as we meander through the maze of sorting out our true feelings about what animals mean to us and what their rightful place in the world is.

It is more than an interesting read; it is a fascinating exploration.

But its also flat-out funny, an entertaining read about one of the most unusual phenomena in tourism history. What makes this book so intriguing is that Todd started with a subject that on the surface seemed simple, the swimming pigs of Exuma. He takes this amusing topica surprising tourist attraction that has lured tens of thousands from all over the world to a remote island in the Bahamasand treats it with such depth that he transforms it from a fun little read into a study of human and animal behavior.

Pigs of Paradise should be read on several levels. First, it is an example of how fresh ideas come from fresh eyes. A small group of pigs on an island in the Exumas did what everyone does on small islands in warm climates they frolicked in the water. A few boaters who traveled these waters knew about it and were amused. Residents of a nearby island knew about it. But it wasnt until a foreigner with an eye for the intriguing realized that it could be much more, bigger than just about any single non-hospitalitybased phenomenon in Bahamian history, bigger than swimming with sharks or applauding the marching flamingosall just as interesting, if not more so, but never promoted with the same kind of gusto as the swimming pigs were. They had their own movie, thanks to the same gentleman. They went from being fun for a few to being featured on big and small screens, on smartphones and in smart conversations in dozens of languages.

On another level, the book explores the human connection, in treatises with experts, in Yale studies and even in a Make-A-Wish dream come true for an ailing child whose only desire was not to meet the princesses at Disneyland, but swim with the pigs.

On yet a third level, Todd asks us to make the decision. Is there more to this pig than meets the eye? Is Pigcasso an artist who can sign paintings with his snout? Is this the center of attraction for a nation that depends on tourism as its major economic engine? Avid swimmer or not, is it a beast that will inevitably become bacon for breakfast and pork chops for dinner? Or is there a deeper meaning that connects us with the animals of the world and brings us joy when frolicking with them in a warm sea?

Todd does not preach, nor does he make that decision for you. It will be yours to make, and I, for one, will be curious to see your response.

Diane Phillips

Diane Phillips is a Bahamian writer whose work has been translated into multiple languages. Among other appointments, she is a former board member of the Bahamas Humane Society, executive director of the Nassau Tourism and Development Board, executive director of the Duty Free Promotional Board, and a board member of the Historic Bahamas Foundation. Diane is also the founder of Diane Phillips & Associates in Nassau, Bahamas.