Have you ever wondered how pigs got to be such a big part of life for so many island cultures? They're part of ecosystems from Hawaiʻi to Southeast Asia and across the Pacific, and scientists have recently come up with some reasons why.
A major scientific study shows how Pacific people transported pigs across the ocean for thousands of years.
The research was published in the journal Science. It analyzed the DNA of more than 700 pigs, including both living animals and archaeological remains. Researchers tracked the origins and movements of pigs across the Pacific.
Scientists from Europe, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vanuatu collaborated on the study, which challenged previous beliefs about animal migration in the region.
The new findings show that pigs may have been taken along by people as they traveled and settled on new islands.
Around 4,000 years ago, pig transportation increased significantly as early farming communities expanded.
Pigs are viewed differently across the Pacific — sacred in some places, pests in others, and nearly native species on some islands.
The researchers say conservation efforts in the Pacific will need to balance cultural importance with environmental concerns, while respecting the community and its history.
