Super Porker

A pig that has become famous across China for its indomitable will to survive after it was pulled from the rubble 36 days after the 12 May 2008 earthquake, has moved into a state-of-the-art new home.

Zhu Jianqiang, or “Strong Pig”, has taken up residence in a facility provided by Chengdu Baisikang Biotech Co. at Jianchuan Museum – China’s largest private museum – in Sichuan province’s Dayi township.

From its new home the two-year-old-porker will meet the public, said the museum’s planning department director, Wu Zhiwei.

“A lot of people will come because this pig has sent a powerful message to us humans about never giving up in the face of catastrophe,” said Wu. “She’s not just a pig; she’s a hero. And she has a special personality.”

The pig’s new residence stands just more than 100m away from dozens of famous Chinese people – among them Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong – in the War of Resistance Against Japan (1937-1945).

The porker was one of the main attractions during the recent unveiling of two halls at the museum that commemorate the May 12 earthquake. Her new home comprises temperature controls and an absorbent floor that cuts down on the smell.

Zhu Jianqiang survived on rain-soaked charcoal until June 17, by which time she had shed two-thirds of her weight. Perhaps endowed with a newfound appreciation of food after her ordeal, she subsequently became obese.

“She got so fat she couldn’t walk, so now we walk her twice a day,” said Wang Fuqing, her fourth caretaker since last year.

Zhu Jianqiang topped an online Red Net forum poll of the “10 animals that moved China in 2008”.

Le Moo-heme

A cattle farmer in Britain has engaged the services of an Italian opera singer to serenade his cows in the hope that they will produce more milk of a higher quality.

Farmer Bobby Gill, from Lancashire, said he hoped the singing would help improve the taste of the ice cream made with their milk.

Marcello Bedoni has been singing a selection of opera favourites in one of the fields at Gill’s farm.

The quality of the milk will be taste-tested at the end of the musical day to see if it has made a difference.

Ring-a-Panda

Taipe Zoo has launched a “Ring-a-Panda” service enabling people to watch the two Chinese pandas, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, live via videophone.

The service allows Panda-loving 3G phone users to dial a number and then view either two hours of live broadcasts from the Panda’s cage or hours of pre-recorded footage of the pair.

The pair arrived at the zoo last year.

Since then an average of 12,500 people have visited the Panda House to see the animals every day.