The ALBC needs your help. They have just discovered an extraordinary opportunity to conserve a population of critically endangered Choctaw hogs in Oklahoma. As one of the last domestic breeds that are free ranging, Choctaw hogs are genetically special. According to world renowned expert in rare breeds Dr. Phil Sponenberg, Choctaw hogs are “smart, hardy, and agile,” and are remarkably self-sufficient in mothering and foraging in the rangelands of Oklahoma. These traits must be included in the world’s portfolio to maintain genetic diversity and provide options for the future. Today, more than ever, with the window for finding rare breeds closing rapidly, we have to act immediately. Your donation will help save the hogs that provided sustenance to the Choctaw Indians as they faced an uncertain future and food to the Oklahomans during the Depression.
Yet there is so much that is unknown about this rare breed that you can help discover. Maybe, like the Ossabaw Island hog, they will offer new opportunities for medical research. The Ossabaw, a once feral pig, is now used for cutting-edge research on diabetes in humans. Or perhaps Choctaw hogs will offer new culinary delights, like the guinea hog, which was once disdained for its muscle to fat ratio, but is now highly prized by elite chefs for charcuterie. Until the ALBC has the opportunity to study them we just won’t know. And for that, they need your help. Even if you don’t breed — or even own — livestock or poultry, you have the power today to make a difference in rare breed conservation. These hogs played a significant role in American history and culture. They have important genetic traits — possibly even one-of-a-kind traits that could be lost forever.
Click here to make a donation today through the easy-to-use indiegogo fundraising website. Donate $50 to receive a rare breeds bumper sticker and $100 for a bumper sticker and Choctaw hog photo.
