No one knows for certain how the pigs arrived on the island, but several stories exist. Some people say sailors dropped them off long ago, planning to return for them as food — then never came back. Other stories suggest they simply swam from a nearby boat. However they arrived, the pigs found the island's freshwater springs, learned to find food on the beach, and made it their home.
Over time, as more boats began to visit, the pigs discovered that swimming out to greet people meant receiving snacks. Now they are completely comfortable in the water, paddling with their legs and snorting cheerfully as they approach. Pigs are actually natural swimmers — they can paddle for long distances — though most pigs never get the chance to practise in warm Caribbean water.
The island has no permanent human residents, so the pigs live freely on the beach under the palm trees. A small population of cats also shares the island with them, and the two groups seem to get along perfectly well. Rangers make sure the pigs are healthy and that visitors treat them kindly.
Pig Island has become so famous that it appears in nature programmes and travel magazines all over the world. It is a good reminder that animals can surprise us — a pig that swims in the Caribbean is not something most people would ever expect to see.