Pigs and our lives have long been tied together. As the first of the six animals, they successfully squeezed into the list of the zodiac. Of course, their roles have never changed- "The little brother smells his sister, sharpens his knife to the pig and sheep..."
In the wild, in the uncivilized pig family, there are many strange guys, who come to see one.
A peculiar kind of pig
Deer-pigs, deer-like pigs, are arguably one of the most extraordinary animals in the world. They can only be found on Indonesia's remote forested islands– isolated and isolated by deer and dolphins.
As wild members of the family Pig family, deer dolphins are uglier than the average wild boar: they have sparse hair and look like domestic pigs walking around naked.
The remarkable "prehistoric" appearance of these animals is due to the protruding upward curved canine teeth of the males, which actually pierce the flesh of the nose.
The two upper canine teeth of the male deer dolphin protrude vertically from the alveolar, through the skin, bending backwards, over the front of the face, towards the forehead.
They are the only mammals known to have canine teeth growing vertically upwards.
In addition, as pigs, they actually do not arch the ground, which is really unreliable pigs.
The deer dolphin has no beak bone in its nose. So in addition to arching soft mud in mud and swamps, deer and dolphins do not dig up the land with their noses to forage for food like other pigs, they eat more plant leaves, mushrooms, fruits and nuts.
Legends about "Suicide Corner"
Not surprisingly, these strange teeth have inspired many folklore and stories. For example, if these upper teeth are not worn, they will eventually grow back to the bones and kill the unfortunate deer dolphin.
Some "popular science" authors struggle to use the topic to play a role in earning traffic to write stories, which is actually quite outrageous. But don't blame them, indeed, there was a case of stabbing into the brain door that actually happened (oops, it hurts). Compared to other species, such as horned animals, this condition, although rare, can occur, usually due to disease.
And the deer and dolphin that are not sick, the upper teeth can not grow into the brain, these teeth are fragile, loose, casually touched and broken. In the usual activities of deer and dolphins, the upper teeth will be easily worn out.
What are these teeth used for?
As the only animal that evolved upward canine teeth, what are these teeth for? This seems like an interesting mystery.
Some researchers have suggested that the deer dolphin uses its teeth as a brush to clean the body of the female and the cub. However, considering that sows rarely live with males, this evolutionary theory does not make sense.
Is it good for fighting? This seems like a more plausible explanation.
The theory is that male deer dolphins grow unusual upper teeth to protect their eyes and face from competitors (other wild boars with ordinary fangs).
The theory is that when the ancestors of deer and dolphins came to these islands, they found that they were paradise — no predators. When there is no pressure to be abused, there is no longer a need to develop and maintain anti-predator mechanisms, so canine teeth begin to evolve in a direction that favors pig beatings.
However, this theory is also untenable.
Through fieldwork, the researchers observed modern deer-dolphin fights —unlike all other types of wild boars, where the fights between males and dolphins are neither charged and collided like the average wild boar, and almost never use upper teeth.
On the contrary, it is very funny, they stand on their hind legs, "punch" each other with their front hooves, send each other "big fights" [laughs]...
So, what is the actual reason? Perhaps these long and mutilated teeth are handsome in the eyes of the doe dolphin, so they have genetic adaptability through sexual selection. But the reality is – no one knows. This is one of many wildlife mysteries to be solved.
The meat is delicious, but the economic benefits are extremely poor
For tens of thousands of years, Indonesians on these islands have used deer and dolphins as a delicacy and even a staple of their diet, as evidenced by prehistoric ruins and tombs. For example, in a cave in Sulawesi, a 35,400-year-old mural records the "good life of eating pigs" at that time.
The meat of the deer and porpoise has almost no odor, the taste is very good, and they are even delicious enough to be used locally as a gift to the royal family. Since Indonesia declared it a protected animal in the 1990s, thousands of deer and dolphins have still been poached and slaughtered every year.
Indonesians would rather wade through rushing rivers, cross rough trails, lurk in groves full of biting ants, and poach against legal punishment than domesticate deer and dolphins. In the history of Indonesia, deer and dolphins have never been properly domesticated, why? This time there is a serious answer to the question [sneaking laugh].]
Doe dolphins have only 2 nipples, and they give birth at a time, usually only one litter, and a maximum of two piglets. Eat more, grow less, raise it is really not cost-effective...
Small-scale rearing is still available, after all, delicious. When you go to Indonesia, remember to try it.
Owls thank you for your attention (¬_¬)