Meet Thumbelina! She’s smaller than your average piglet, but she is embarking on big adventures.

At almost two months old, this little piglet is learning to explore outside of her home at Taronga’s Backyard to Bush and take walks around the Zoo grounds with keepers. The walks are a great form of exercise and enrichment, helping to maintain her mental and physical wellbeing.

Keeper, Suzie Lemon said, “Pigs enjoy sniffing and digging around and Thumbelina also loves meeting and interacting with visitors on her walks around the Zoo.”

Born on 2 July, Thumbelina immediately stood out as she was smaller than the average pig. However, this has not affected her ability to learn quickly and she has made speedy progress since she began taking walks at two weeks of age.

“She’s learning to ‘come’ and ‘sit’, as well as responding to her name,” said Suzie. “Everything is very new and exciting for her.”

Thumbelina will grow up to play a role in Taronga’s pig breeding group, so there is no doubt she will become a household name at Backyard to Bush.

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the smallest member of Taronga’s pig family when Thumbelina is taken on special walks each afternoon of the school holidays at 1.30pm.