Grice (extinct pig)

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Grice were a breed of swine native to the Shetland Isles of Scotland. Small in size, yet ferocious, this domesticated breed of pig fell out of favour with crofters during the late 19th century and became extinct.

Accounts suggest grice were aggressive animals with small tusks, an arched-back, and a coat of stiff dark bristles over a fleece of wool. They were introduced to the Shetlands by Viking settlers and, like other species on the islands, evolved to be small and hardy to survive the harsh environmental conditions.

Most Shetland crofts would have at least one grice kept on grazing lands, though they would often roam across adjacent farmland, rooting up crops and occasionally attacking lambs. This behaviour led to the passing of a "grice law" fining the owner £10 plus the cost of any damages caused by rogue grice.

In the 1800s, landowners discouraged the keeping of swine on island crofts. This, combined with the increasing import of other breeds from the Scottish mainland, resulted in a dwindling grice population. By the 1930s the breed was extinct. The legacy of grice remains, however. Squills are known locally as Grice's Onions because they were a favorite food of the swine [1] and the term grice is more widely used to refer to a small or young pig in some dialects.

In 2006 curators at the Shetland Museum and Archives commissioned a taxidermist to recreate a grice from the stuffed body of an immature wild boar. As no-one alive had seen a grice, the accuracy of the model relied on descriptions in "published sources ... investigated artefact and archaeological findings". [2]. The model grice will go on public display in spring 2007.