No matter how venomous a poisonous snake is, it can't kill a pig? Pigs are the natural enemies of snakes, is there any scientific basis for this?
Since ancient times, there is a saying that "pigs and snakes" are said, and this popular saying believes that pigs can restrain poisonous snakes, even if they encounter poisonous snakes, they can also be eaten as "snacks".
However, is this statement accurate, and what is the scientific basis for it?
As one of the ancient reptiles, venomous snakes have an evolutionary history of about 130 million years, and there are 3,425 species of snakes in the world today, of which about 18% belong to venomous snakes. These venomous snakes have venom glands and fangs in their bodies, which can inject venom into their targets, posing a major threat to human life.
According to statistics, about 100,000 people die from venomous snake bites every year in the world, and all things in nature are intertwined, and these seemingly ferocious poisonous snakes also have their own natural predators, such as monitor lizards, honey badgers, snake vultures and other predators can easily hunt venomous snakes.
Among them, the honey badger, also known as the flat-headed brother, pounces on the poisonous snake with a thunderous force and crushes it, and this excellent defense and detoxification ability allows it to resist the snake's venom and enjoy this delicious meal in peace.
The snake vulture, which is more elegant in its predatory methods, relies on its sharp claws, and a single attack with a whiplash-like precision can kill a venomous snake.
The performance of the African snake vulture is particularly prominent, even the wary black mamba is powerless in front of it, and it is puzzling that the pig, a seemingly honest and dull animal, is actually considered to be the nemesis of poisonous snakes, so is this rumor true?
As early as 56 million years ago, there were fierce toothless pigs on the earth, and the Kuban pigs 23 million years ago were huge in size and strong in combat, which was called the "king of the forest" at that time.
Domestic pigs evolved from the domesticated Eurasian wild boar, and their body shape and temperament changed in the process, and their combat effectiveness was weakened, but the docile image of pigs is also mostly misinformation.
In fact, pigs are omnivorous by nature, with strong palatability, and may also prey on snakes when the right opportunity arises. In particular, the wild pig herd has strong offensive and defensive capabilities.
The boar's sharp fangs can easily bite and crush snake bones, and adult boars' canine teeth grow to form blades up to 14 cm long.
This makes it difficult for the snake to resist the attack of the wild boar, and not only that, the extremely thick and rough fur of the wild boar is also an important defense against the poisonous snake.
The skin of wild boars is 1.5 times thicker than that of domestic pigs, and the surface of their fur is covered with resin and soil. This makes it difficult for the snake's fangs to penetrate completely. Even if the venom is injected into the body, the thick layer of fat underneath will block the venom from entering the circulatory system, rendering the venom ineffective. Therefore, pigs can safely enjoy poisonous snakes as winter supplies, precisely because of their powerful offensive and defensive systems.
Combined with a keen sense of smell and the ability to find where snakes are hiding, it is a sure thing that pigs can easily catch snakes, and data shows that wild boars can run at speeds of up to 56 kilometers per hour, far exceeding the top speed of snakes of 8 kilometers.
The snakes were powerless in the face of the pigs' attacks, and could only survive by hiding with their slender bodies, but they could not escape the pigs' sensitive noses.
It can trace the fishy smell of snakes from a distance, and with the Xi of plowing the ground, it is easy to find the hiding place of snakes underground. In particular, the hibernating snake has nothing to hide, and can only let the wild boar feast.
Of course, it is also impossible for wild boars to be completely immune to snake venom, as long as they are bitten and wounded, the venom can still be life-threatening. Domestic pigs have lost the offensive and defensive capabilities of wild boars, but the occasional king cobra invasion of the pigsty can also pose a deadly threat to domestic pigs. But for the most part, pigs still have an absolute advantage, and it's not an exaggeration to call them "snake busters".
There is indeed a scientific truth in the folk saying of "pig and snake", which is based on the fact that the pig's powerful offensive and defensive system has an advantage over most poisonous snakes, of course, there are individual differences, and it does not have 100% accuracy.
