A Kune Kune (pronounced Cooney Cooney) is a small New Zealand pig which grows no bigger than a large dog. Their name comes from the Maori word for fat and round. They were much prized by the Maoris for their ability to thrive and fatten on little more than a subsistence diet of grass and Kitchen vegtable and fruit scraps. Their gentle nature and lack of interest in escaping or roaming made them popular. They did not originate in New Zealand as there were only 3 indigenous land animals when the Maori arrived. There are many theories on how they got to New Zealand. They may have come with the Maoris from Polynesia or the people who settled to work the land. No matter what there origin they were definately imported and most probably were a mixture of other types of pigs. The breed came close to extinction in the 1970s. It appears that the Maoris stopped breeding them for meat and were not known to the rest of the white population. Two wildlife park owners (Michael Willis and John Simster) decided to travel across New Zealand and buy as many as they could. In the end they bought 18. From this group, with later additions, the current breeding stock evolved. There are now Kune Kune pigs found throughout the world. They were first introduced to the UK in 1992 and The British Kune Kune Pig Society was set up to support and promote their breed. There are now several hundred Kune Kune pigs in the UK. Kune Kune are hairy pigs and come in a range of colours - brown, black, gold, ginger and various spotted combinations. They have distinctive tassels under the chin called â??piri piriâ??. They vary between 24â?? and 30â?? in height. They are covered in hair which varies greatly in texture and length. Their snouts are medium to short. They have short legs and a round body. Kune Kune are hairy pigs and come in a range of colours - brown, black, gold, ginger and various spotted combinations. They have distinctive tassels under the chin called â??piri piriâ??.