- Where to see one
- 19 U.S. zoos in our directory hold kunekune pig, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
- Native range
- New Zealand
- Size
- Stands about 24 in (60 cm) tall; adults weigh 130–440 lb (60–200 kg), with males considerably heavier than females
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
Not Evaluated (NE) by the IUCN as a domestic breed; neared extinction in the 1980s and has since recovered
About the kunekune pig
The kunekune is a small breed of domestic pig from New Zealand, built low and round with a hairy coat rather than the leaner build of a farm hog. Coats can be long or short, straight or curly, in colors including black, brown, ginger, gold, cream, and spotted combinations. The breed has a medium to short, slightly upturned snout, often black, and ears that are either semi-lopped or pricked upright. Many kunekune also carry a pair of small, dangling wattles under the chin, called piri piri in Māori.
The name kunekune comes from a Māori word meaning "fat and round," a fitting description of the breed's compact, barrel-shaped body and short legs. The breed is believed to descend from an Asian domestic pig introduced to New Zealand in the early 19th century, likely by whalers or traders, and it is genetically and physically distinct from New Zealand's feral pigs of European origin, known locally as "Captain Cookers." The Māori adopted the breed early on, and it has been part of New Zealand's rural life since.
Behavior and diet
Kunekune are described as having a docile, friendly temperament. A 2017 Science Daily report on the breed described kunekune as showing remarkable social learning and an unusually good memory.
Range and habitat
Habitat
Domestic — kept on farms, smallholdings, and in wildlife parks
Kunekune are a domestic breed native to New Zealand rather than an animal with a wild range. They are recognized there as a miniature pig breed and are commonly kept as pets. The breed cannot legally be imported into Australia because that country restricts the import of live pigs for biosecurity reasons; Australian breeders have instead developed a separate, related breed called the Australian miniature pig.
Conservation status
The kunekune is Not Evaluated (NE) on the IUCN Red List, since domestic animals aren't assessed there. Even so, it came close to disappearing entirely: by the 1980s an estimated 50 purebred kunekune remained. Wildlife park owners Michael Willis and John Simister started a breeding recovery program that encouraged wider conservation efforts for the breed, and by 2010 the kunekune was no longer considered at risk of extinction, with active breed societies established in both New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Two kunekune were imported to the United States from the UK in 1993.
Where to see kunekune pig in the U.S.
19 zoos across 15 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 16 zoos holding kunekune pig by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
3 more zoos hold kunekune pig but have no coordinates on file yet, so they aren't ranked here. They're in the full list below.
California· 4
District of Columbia· 1
Florida· 1
Georgia· 1
Illinois· 1
Indiana· 1
Maryland· 1
Michigan· 1
Minnesota· 1
Mississippi· 1
New York· 1
South Carolina· 1
Virginia· 1
Washington· 1
Wisconsin· 2
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
Kunekune Pig: common questions
Is the kunekune pig endangered?
Not anymore. Domestic breeds are not assessed on the IUCN Red List, but the kunekune came close to disappearing in the 1980s, when only about 50 purebred animals remained, and by 2010 breeding programs meant it was no longer considered at risk.
How big does a kunekune pig get?
Adults stand about 24 inches tall and weigh between 130 and 440 pounds, with males typically much heavier than females.
Where do kunekune pigs come from?
They are a domestic breed native to New Zealand, likely descended from an Asian pig breed brought there by whalers or traders in the early 19th century.
Are kunekune pigs friendly?
Yes. They're described as having a docile, friendly nature, and they show notably good social memory.
Which U.S. zoos have kunekune pigs?
Five U.S. zoos list them, including Zoo Atlanta in Georgia and The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.
