Pig Beach[1] located on Big Major Cay[2] (also known as Major Cay[3]) is a beach on an uninhabited island (or cay) located in Exuma, the Bahamas. The island takes its unofficial name from the fact that it is populated by a colony of feral pigs which live on the island. It has become a tourist attraction in modern times.
Nickname: Pig Beach | |
|---|---|
 Pigs swimming in the Bahamas | |
  Big Major Cay | |
| Geography | |
| Location | the Americas |
| Archipelago | Exuma Cays |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Major islands | 1 |
| Administration | |
| Capital city | Nassau |
| Largest settlement | Nassau (pop. 248,948; as of 2010[update]) |
| Prime Minister | Hubert Minnis |
The pigs are known in popular culture as "the swimming pigs"[4] although other islands with swimming pigs exist in the Bahamas.[5]
Geography and features
Exuma is a district of the Bahamas, and consists of over 360 islands.[6] Near Big Major Cay is Staniel Cay.[7] There are three freshwater springs on the island.[7]
History
Anecdotal history
A single, factual account of how the pigs ended up on the cay does not appear to exist. Folklore and various theories claim a number of different scenarios including pirates.[8]
Some say the pigs are said to have been dropped off on Big Major Cay by a group of sailors who wanted to come back and cook them. The sailors, though, never returned; the pigs survived on excess food dumped from passing ships.[citation needed]
Another legend has it that the pigs were survivors of a shipwreck and managed to swim to shore, while other accounts claim that the pigs had escaped from a nearby islet.[9] Yet others suggest that the pigs were part of a business scheme to attract tourists to the Bahamas[citation needed] while another claims the pigs were stocked on the island in the 1990s by residents of nearby Staniel Cay to raise for food.[5]
Modern day
The pigs are now fed by residents from neighboring islands and tourists[10][self-published source] and the island is unofficially known as Pig Beach by both locals and tourists.[11]
In 2017, a number of the resident pigs were found dead,[12] which caused speculation regarding the cause of death including claims of tourists feeding pigs alcohol or the pigs ingesting sand.[13][14][4]
Demographics and fauna
Big Major Cay is an island uninhabited by humans.[15] The pig population was estimated between fifty and sixty pigs as of 2019.[5] A few stray cats[16] and goats[17] can be found on the island as well.
Travel and tourism
From Nassau to Pig Beach is 89 miles (143 km) and takes 2 hours by speed boat. A number of tour operators offer both private and group trips from Great Exuma, Staniel Cay, and other nearby cays.
Popular culture
Pig beach has become a popular topic on social media sites like Instagram and featured in the television series, The Bachelor.[18] Some people claim to have been bitten by a pig while visiting.[19] They have been written about in a book and claim to be featured in a documentary.[20]
See also
Media related to Pig Beach at Wikimedia Commons- Staniel Cay
- Exuma
- List of islands of the Bahamas
References
- ^ Ripley's Believe It or Not! Annual 2013. Ripley. 11 September 2012. ISBN 978-1-60991-032-7.
- ^ "Swimming with Pigs". The Island of the Bahamas. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
- ^ The Bahamas - Guidebook Chapter: Chapter from Caribbean Islands travel guide book (6 ed.). Lonely Planet. 2012. ISBN 9781743210826.
- ^ a b Daley, Jason. "What Killed More Than Half a Dozen of the Bahamas' Swimming Pigs?". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ^ a b c Rhodes, Wendy. "Hurricane Dorian: What happened to the beloved swimming pigs of The Bahamas?". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ^ "Exuma". The Official Website of the Government of the Bahamas. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
- ^ a b Susannah Cahalan (January 30, 2011). "Pig Kahuna is 'bacon' on own island". New York Post. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
- ^ Villano, Matt (9 October 2018). "The Bahamas beach where piggies swim". CNN. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ^ Greaves-Gabbadon, Sarah. "Best Bahamas Trips: Swim with Pigs in the Exumas". Caribbean Travel Magazine. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
- ^ Moorhouse, Austin E. (2004). Halcyon Days: From A Dream To Reality. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 9781412016650.
- ^ "Pigs swim in sea in Bahamas". The Telegraph. July 16, 2009. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
- ^ "Widely Adored Swimming Pigs Found Dead in the Bahamas". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ^ "This Is What Really Killed The Famous Swimming Pigs". National Geographic News. 2017-03-04. Archived from the original on August 7, 2019. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ^ "Tourists Were Giving the Bahamas Pigs Alcohol, Officials Say". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ^ "Swimming Pigs of Big Major Cay". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
- ^ Frommer's ShortCuts (2012). The Exumas, Bahamas: Frommer's ShortCuts (2 ed.). John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118470343.
- ^ McRae, Mavis (May 23, 2012). "The Bahamas' Wild Pigs Meet Dr. Sylvia Earle And Mission Blue (PHOTOS)". Huffington Post. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
- ^ "Everything to Know About Swimming With Pigs in the Bahamas". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ^ Baxter-Wright, Dusty (2019-07-07). "Pig beach is the Instagram hotspot you need to know about". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ^ Villano, Matt (9 October 2018). "The Bahamas beach where piggies swim". CNN. Retrieved 2020-05-27.