- Bahamian miracle
- Legends about the appearance of pigs on the island
- Attraction for tourists
Big Major Cay Island is a real attraction that thousands of tourists vacationing in the Bahamas want to see. Numerous travel companies organize special excursions to this island. There are no historical monuments, unique caves and protected forests, although the local landscapes are worth showing off on the covers of the best travel magazines. The second name of this one of the deserted islands of the Exuma archipelago is the Island of Pigs.
There are many interesting places in the Bahamas, but nowhere else is such a unique place. It is home to a colony of small wild pigs that can swim.
Bahamian miracle
They say that pigs settled on Big Major Cay not so long ago - in the 90s of the last century. They live permanently on Pig Beach, but move around the island, which they also share with several goats and cats. The pigs and piglets realized that it was rather troublesome to look for food on the island on their own. Lovely animals were fed from passing boats. Soon, the pigs became so accustomed to receiving tasty treats from tourists that they began to meet boats in the water, gradually learning to swim. Now, barely seeing a yacht near the beach, the pigs rush into the water and swim to the sightseers. The most courageous even jump into boats, hoping for the most tasty morsel.
In general, wild pigs from birth cannot swim. But Bahamian pigs have proven they can learn to do this. Interestingly, even the little pigs on Big Major Cay swim very well.
Legends about the appearance of pigs on the island
The question, where did the cute pigs who know how to swim come from on Big Major Cay, worries all travelers who come here with a sea excursion. Local guides say that there are at least four legends explaining the appearance of pigs:
- the pigs could be unloaded on the island by sailors of a passing ship. They probably planned to take the pigs back on the way back, thus providing themselves with food. But the ship did not return, and the pigs survived, thanks to the fact that they were fed from boats plying the island;
- the second legend tells that once off the coast of Pig Beach a ship carrying pigs was wrecked. People died, and the pigs managed to escape. Having reached the shore by swimming;
- according to another legend, pigs were brought here by enterprising inhabitants of neighboring islands to make money on gullible tourists;
- finally, some guides are sure that the pigs escaped en masse from one of the nearby islands and settled in the paradise of Big Major Cay.
Attraction for tourists
Scuba diving, swimming with dolphins, rays and even sharks are offered to tourists in many of the world's resorts. Pigs that can swim are only found in the Bahamas. They have long been a tourist attraction. Pigs are not afraid of people, willingly make contact, swim with tourists, beg for food from them, pose for cameras, fool around on the white sand.
Until recently, pigs were allowed to be fed with anything. But after the accident, when the pigs were given beer and rum to drink and they died, they can only be given special food approved by the local authorities. It is best to offer it in the water, not on the beach, so that the pigs do not swallow the sand with the food. It is allowed to bring fresh water to local stars. Although there are three freshwater springs on the island that feed small lakes, this water is clearly not enough.
Since local pigs spend many hours swimming in the ocean, they cannot be called dirty in any way.
