From Caribbean360

NASSAU, Bahamas, Thursday June 12, 2014 – While many Caribbean countries offer visitors the opportunity to swim with turtles, The Bahamas has gone one step further, extending an unusual and oddly attractive invitation to its guests to splash around with … er … pigs.

Yes, you read that right.

According to porknetwork.com, the activity takes place off the uninhabited (except by about 20 wild pigs and piglets) island of Big Major Cay.

The area, now known as Pig Beach, is reportedly becoming all the rage with tourists. In April, Victoria’s Secret model Irina Shayk frolicked with the oinkers as they lounged on the beach and took an occasional dip in the sea.

Victoria’s Secret model Irina Shayk decided to join the pigs for a swim and posted a pic on Instagram.

Irina also filmed other people swimming with the wild pigs.

Slate Magazine recently featured the pigs and examined the legends behind how this famous piggy population came to land its own little piece of hog heaven.

According to Slate, the pigs of Big Major Cay spend their days “lolling about on the beach, catching waves, and swimming out to greet visiting boats in the hope of scoring food.”

There are various versions of legends recounting how these porkers claimed their own piece of paradise in the Bahamas.

One account details them being dumped on the island by sailors planning a ready food source on their return. Another paints a heroic portrait of the porkers as valiant shipwreck survivors marooned on the remote cay.

Sadly, the truth is a little less colourful.

Slate discovered that the animals are descended from domesticated pigs that were kept on nearby Staniel Cay in the 1990s. Pungent piggy smells emanating from the sty caused a stink with the neighbours, resulting in the porkers being relocated to Big Major Cay.

As time passed, visitors to the island fed the tame pigs, which led to their habit of eagerly swimming out to approaching boats to scrounge for treats.

Local tourism operators have welcomed the serendipitical emergence of Pig Beach, to which visitors are now flocking to frolic with the friendly piggy population.

PHOTOS:

bahamas-swimming-pigs WILD PIGS SWIMMING IN THE BAHAMAS

irinashayk

For more on this story and to see the video go to: http://www.caribbean360.com/travel/swimming-with-pigs-in-the-bahamas?utm_source=Caribbean360%20Newsletters&utm_campaign=f5e39a7241-Vol_9_Issue_117_News6_12_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_350247989a-f5e39a7241-39393477