Several Bahamas' swimming pigs found dead

Several of the infamous Bahamas swimming pigs were found dead recently, and while an official cause has not been determined, some residents believe the animals’ deaths may be attributable to an increased diet of alcohol and junk food from tourists.

The Nassau Guardian reported that up to half of the pig colony was found dead on Big Major Cay, known as Pig Beach, where the animals would greet visitors in what had become an increasingly popular tourist attraction. One of the pigs’ owners, Wayde Dixon, was quoted in the Guardian as stating that some visitors have recently “been giving the pigs beer, rum, riding on top of them, all kinds of stuff.”

Plans for government regulation are now being discussed to keep the surviving animals safe, the Guardian report stated.

The pigs, which would allow tourists to get up close and even swim up to visitors, have become an increasingly popular tourist attraction in recent years after drawing celebrity visitors and making appearances in music videos and TV series such as The Bachelor.