Pigs In Afghanistan: Uncovering An Unexpected Population

There is only one pig in Afghanistan, and his name is Khanzir. He lives in Kabul Zoo and is possibly the loneliest pig in the world. In 2002, China gave Khanzir as a piglet to the zoo, along with a female pig, with whom he had a litter of piglets. However, in 2006, a brown bear attacked the family, killing the piglets and injuring the female pig, who later died from her injuries. Since then, Khanzir has lived alone in his enclosure, occasionally retiring to his concrete shelter for days at a time. Despite his loneliness, he has formed a special bond with his caretakers, who feed and clean him daily.

The only pig in Afghanistan is named Khanzir

Khanzir is now the only pig in all of Afghanistan, a predominantly Islamic country where eating pork is considered haram. This belief, along with the mountainous terrain, means that no pigs are farmed in the country. As a result, most Afghans have never seen a pig in their lives, and Khanzir has become something of a celebrity. Visitors come from far and wide to catch a glimpse of him in his enclosure, where he spends his days lying in the sun.

Khanzir's fame also brought him trouble during the 2009 swine flu epidemic. With the Afghan public alarmed about a potential outbreak in their war-torn country, authorities quarantined the pig for a few weeks to placate the public and protect him from harm.

Today, Khanzir is old and frail, and authorities are working to find him a partner. In the meantime, he enjoys a special relationship with his caretakers, who feed and clean him daily. Despite conflicting religious beliefs, one caretaker, Shah Barat, considers Khanzir a friend and would be sad if anything happened to him.

Khanzir is housed at Kabul Zoo

Khanzir lives in a grassy enclosure with a small pond and a concrete shelter, which he can retire to when he wants to be alone. He is well-known for his love of lounging in the sun and greeting visitors, who travel from far and wide to see him.

Khanzir's fame is due to his being the only pig in Afghanistan, a country with no pig farms, as eating pork is considered haram. In fact, one interpretation of this belief forbids even touching the animal.

Khanzir's life at Kabul Zoo has not always been easy. In 2009, he was quarantined during the worldwide swine flu epidemic due to public concern that he might spread the disease. Some people even called for him to be euthanised. However, he was released after two months and continues to be protected by loyal zoo workers.

Khanzir's story is also marked by tragedy. In 2006, a zoo caretaker accidentally left the door to the brown bears' cage open, and one of the bears attacked Khanzir's enclosure, killing his piglets and injuring his mate, who later died from her injuries. Since then, Khanzir has been alone.

Pigs are not farmed in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a predominantly Islamic country where the sale and consumption of pork are considered haram. In fact, one interpretation of Islamic belief forbids even touching pigs. As a result, no pigs are reared or farmed in the country. The mountainous terrain of Afghanistan is also not suitable for domestic pigs.

Aziz Gul Saqib, the director of Kabul Zoo, has stated that "by and large, most Afghans have never seen a pig in their life". This is because the only pig in Afghanistan, a male named Khanzir, lives in the zoo. Khanzir, which means "pig" in Pashto, one of the national languages of Afghanistan, was gifted to the zoo by China in 2002, along with a female pig and a pair of brown bears.

Khanzir and his mate had a litter of piglets a few years after arriving at the zoo. However, in 2006, a caretaker accidentally left the door to the brown bears' cage open, and one of the bears attacked the pigs, killing the piglets and severely injuring the female pig, who later succumbed to her injuries.

Since then, Khanzir has lived alone in his enclosure. He has developed a special relationship with his caretakers, who feed and clean him daily. Despite pigs being considered haram, his caretakers do not believe that caring for him contradicts their religious beliefs. Shah Barat, a longtime zoo caretaker, has been quoted as saying, "Sure, it is haram, but it's not a bad thing... This is a zoo, so there should be such animals. Besides, Khanzir is an innocent animal, like all animals."

Khanzir gained international attention in 2009 during the swine flu epidemic when he was quarantined for a few weeks to placate the public and protect him from harm. Despite calls from some members of the public for his ouster, or even euthanization, the zoo authorities stood firm, and Khanzir was eventually released from quarantine.

Today, Khanzir remains the only pig in Afghanistan, enjoying his days lazing in the sun and greeting admirers who come from far and wide to catch a glimpse of him.

In 2009, Khanzir was quarantined due to swine flu concerns

In 2009, Afghanistan's only pig, Khanzir, was quarantined due to swine flu concerns.

Khanzir was gifted to the Kabul Zoo by China in 2002, along with a female pig. However, in 2006, a bear attacked their enclosure, killing the piglets and injuring the female pig, who later succumbed to her injuries.

In 2009, during a worldwide outbreak of influenza A (H1N1), also known as swine flu, Khanzir was placed in quarantine. Despite being perfectly healthy, zoo authorities decided to isolate him to ease the concerns of the public and protect him from harm. Visitors feared that he could spread the new flu strain, and some even called for his euthanisation.

Aziz Gul Saqib, the director of the Kabul Zoo, explained that the lack of knowledge about swine flu among Afghans led to the decision to quarantine Khanzir:

> "The only reason we moved him was because Afghan people don't have a lot of knowledge about swine flu, and so when they see a pig they get worried and think they will get ill."

Khanzir was moved to his winter house in another part of the zoo, where he spent days in solitude, receiving thrice-daily visits from his caretakers. Shah Barat, one of his caretakers, expressed his concern for Khanzir, stating:

> "He is very special to us... Like all the animals I care for at the zoo, Khanzir is my friend. I would be very sad if something were to happen to him."

After two months, Khanzir was released from quarantine, and he continues to be a popular attraction at the Kabul Zoo.

Khanzir is cared for by Shah Barat

Shah Barat is a longtime caretaker at the Kabul Zoo, where Khanzir, Afghanistan's only pig, resides. Barat is responsible for feeding Khanzir daily and cleaning his enclosure regularly. Despite Khanzir's advanced age and weight, he shows enthusiasm whenever he sees Barat because he knows that he brings food.

Barat cares deeply for Khanzir and considers him a friend. When asked if caring for a pig contradicts his religious beliefs, Barat said, "Sure, it is haram, but it's not a bad thing. This is a zoo, so there should be such animals. Besides, Khanzir is an innocent animal, like all animals. Sure, he is very dirty, but he is our responsibility."

In 2009, during a worldwide outbreak of swine flu, Khanzir was quarantined for a few weeks to placate the public and protect him from harm. Barat continued to visit him thrice daily, ensuring he had company during this time.

Khanzir's presence at the Kabul Zoo is significant, as it provides Afghans with the rare opportunity to see a pig, which is otherwise considered haram and not typically found in the country. Despite some external opposition and challenges, Barat remains dedicated to Khanzir's care and well-being.

Overall, the relationship between Khanzir and Shah Barat highlights the unique situation of having a pig in a predominantly Islamic country like Afghanistan. Barat's dedication to Khanzir's care demonstrates his compassion and respect for all animals, regardless of religious beliefs.

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