Weesen: This pig family makes the neighborhood happy

A family of pigs has been living in the Weesner Kurfürstenpark for a week. The task of the animals is to eat the larvae of the moth and thus protect the horse chestnut trees in the park. Without the pigs there is a chance that the trees will weaken further and eventually die. an idea A resident of the new park He had a gardener from Glarnerland. Pigs can not only strengthen the trees, but also a good entertainment for the neighborhood and passers-by.

Laura lives with the four pigs in Kurvorstein Park, which is part of the surrounding housing estate. The next five hairy ones are Kunekune pigs. Kunekunes are a special breed originally from New Zealand. 20 minutes from visiting the pig family in Wisne.

Peaceful and inquisitive animals

Upon arrival, the pigs are already running. “They are very curious,” says one of the neighborhood residents. The owner of the animal, Thomas, brought pigs from the Netherlands to Switzerland ten years ago. He was one of the first Swiss to own conconies. “These animals did it to me,” says Thomas. It is a friendly and reliable breed. “Compared to other pig breeds, the animals are not aggressive at all.” The friendly pig faces are particularly striking.

It’s easy to keep pigs in a private space: “Pigs’ instinct to dig is not obvious,” says Thomas. This is a big plus for keeping animals. “And we don’t stink,” continues the owner. Because of their calm nature, the animals are also used in remedial education schools and, according to the animal owner, in clinics.

Animals are very popular in the neighborhood. “I can hug her,” says one of the residents, laughing. Pigs respond well to humans. “It’s easy to talk to them,” says Thomas. “They are not upset at all,” he continues. The animal owner’s children grew up with the pigs.

When asked about the reaction of passers-by to the pigs, he replied, “Quite happy.” “People hear something as they walk by and look around, and then they smile when they see the pigs,” says Thomas. Not one of the neighbors even imagined that the animals would disappear again.

The Pig Family in the Garden is an experimental project

The protected horse chestnut trees in the Kurfürstenpark have been around for about 150 years. However, the chestnut leaves have turned brown in early summer for a number of years. “The trees withered too early,” says a neighborhood resident Southeastern Switzerland» (paid item). As a result, trees can absorb fewer nutrients and become weaker. Tree wilt is caused by the horse chestnut leaf miner, a small butterfly whose larvae feed on the leaves.

At a community meeting, it was decided to do something about it. “We first thought of letting the chicken in,” says Thomas. But that’s not possible with avian flu right now, so the idea of ​​using pigs quickly came up. “It’s a pilot project,” says Thomas. It remains to be seen whether mites can be minimized as a result. It also remains unclear how long the pigs will be in the garden “on vacation”. This mainly depends on the weather.

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