Danish Protest Pig
Encyclopedia
The Danish Protest Pig or Rotbunte Husumer Protestschwein is a rare breed
of domestic pig
which due to its red color, its broad white vertical belt and a trace of a white horizontal belt resembles the colors of the Flag of Denmark
. It originates in North Frisia
in the beginning of the 20th century, when Danes
living in the area were not allowed to raise the Danish flag.
The breed grows to a height of about 92 cm (36 in) and weighs up to 350 kg. It was probably created out of Holstein
ian and Jutland
ian marsh pigs, the English Tamworth pig and red variants of the Angeln Saddleback
. It was recognized as a race in 1954, but after a last birth in 1968, the race was considered extinct.
Only in 1984, pigs fully corresponding to the descriptions of the race were seen again. Associations of breeders continue to breed it and to register existing pigs of this race. Breeding populations exist in the Berlin Zoological Garden, the Hanover Zoo
, the Tierpark Arche Warder near Kiel
, in the ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, in Dalmsdorf (Mecklenburg), Hof Lütjensee und on the Archehof Blumencron. The Dortmund Zoo and the Tierpark Krüzen house small populations too. At the moment, around 140 specimens are alive worldwide. The German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein
supports preservation of the race for its cultural value.
Rare breed (agriculture)
A rare breed is defined as a breed of livestock or poultry that is not common in modern agriculture, though it may have been in the past. Various national and international organizations, such as the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy or the Rare Breeds...
of domestic pig
Domestic pig
The domestic pig is a domesticated animal that traces its ancestry to the wild boar, and is considered a subspecies of the wild boar or a distinct species in its own right. It is likely the wild boar was domesticated as early as 13,000 BC in the Tigris River basin...
which due to its red color, its broad white vertical belt and a trace of a white horizontal belt resembles the colors of the Flag of Denmark
Flag of Denmark
The national flag of Denmark, Dannebrog is red with a white Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side...
. It originates in North Frisia
North Frisia
North Frisia or Northern Friesland is the northernmost portion of Frisia, located primarily in Germany between the rivers Eider and Wiedau/Vidå. It includes a number of islands, e.g., Sylt, Föhr, Amrum, Nordstrand, and Heligoland.-History:...
in the beginning of the 20th century, when Danes
Danes
Danish people or Danes are the nation and ethnic group that is native to Denmark, and who speak Danish.The first mention of Danes within the Danish territory is on the Jelling Rune Stone which mentions how Harald Bluetooth converted the Danes to Christianity in the 10th century...
living in the area were not allowed to raise the Danish flag.
The breed grows to a height of about 92 cm (36 in) and weighs up to 350 kg. It was probably created out of Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
ian and Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
ian marsh pigs, the English Tamworth pig and red variants of the Angeln Saddleback
Angeln Saddleback
The Angeln Saddleback, also known as the Angler Sattelschwein, is a rare breed of domestic pig grown mainly in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is a large, lop-eared, black pig with a white belt around its body at the forefeet....
. It was recognized as a race in 1954, but after a last birth in 1968, the race was considered extinct.
Only in 1984, pigs fully corresponding to the descriptions of the race were seen again. Associations of breeders continue to breed it and to register existing pigs of this race. Breeding populations exist in the Berlin Zoological Garden, the Hanover Zoo
Hanover Zoo
Hanover Zoo is located in the Zoo district right in the city centre of Hanover, Germany. The zoo was established on May 4, 1865, and comprises an area of 22 hectares. Currently, it is home to about 3,414 animals in 237 species, which are being cared for by more than 400 employees in the summer...
, the Tierpark Arche Warder near Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, in the ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, in Dalmsdorf (Mecklenburg), Hof Lütjensee und on the Archehof Blumencron. The Dortmund Zoo and the Tierpark Krüzen house small populations too. At the moment, around 140 specimens are alive worldwide. The German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
supports preservation of the race for its cultural value.