This undated photo shows an eight-legged piglet in a village in Chongqing, a municipality in Southwest China. (Photo/Chinanews.com)
(ECNS) -- An eight-legged piglet was found in a village in Chongqing, a municipality in Southwest China, the Chongqing Evening News reported on Thursday.
The piglet was born on Aug 2, said its owner Tang Yongxiu.
It has two extra front legs under the belly, about 3 to 4 cm long, and two extra hind legs, about 7 to 8 cm long, dragging on the ground.
The piglet cannot stand and walk, said Tang, adding that it looked normal when it was born.
She hopes to raise it. An expert said it may be caused by gene mutations.
Guo Zongyi, from the Chongqing Academy of Animal Science, said he had never seen a pig with eight legs before.
There are possibly two reasons behind such a malformation, Guo said. "One is inbreeding. But only one in this litter of pigs looks abnormal, so it is unlikely. The other is gene mutations."
This is not a disease, so the pig is still edible, Guo added. But he suggested making it a specimen.
By Chen Yuyan
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