Swimming pigs of Big Major Cay: where they are and what rules apply

Big Major Cay is the cay behind the swimming pigs photos. It has no residents, the pigs are not native to it, and it sits outside the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park. That last point decides which rules and fees apply to your visit. The feeding guidance below comes from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism’s pig page.

Where do the swimming pigs live?

Big Major Cay is uninhabited, and the pigs on it are not native to the island¹. The beach where they gather is known as Pig Beach⁴. The cay sits at about 24.184° N, 76.456° W⁴. Staniel Cay lies near it⁴, and the island has three freshwater springs⁴.

If you are building a route around the pigs, the Staniel Cay guide and the places hub cover the neighboring stops, and Thunderball Grotto is the usual snorkeling stop in the same area.

How do you get to the swimming pigs?

Big Major Cay is only accessible by boat, whether your own, a chartered one or a tour¹. Wikipedia gives the run from Nassau to Pig Beach as 89 miles, about 2 hours by speed boat⁴. Tour operators run private and group trips from Great Exuma, Staniel Cay and other nearby cays⁴.

Your cost is the boat or tour, because the cay is only accessible by boat¹. The Nassau day trip guide explains the usual way visitors reach this stretch of the Exumas without their own boat, and the Staniel Cay flights guide covers the air route to the nearest base.

Is Big Major Cay inside Exuma Park?

No. The park was established in 1958 as the first marine reserve in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean². The park’s two northern boundary corners are at 24°30′37″ N, 76°52′37″ W and 24°35′30″ N, 76°45′50″ W². Big Major Cay lies at about 24.18° N, south of the whole park boundary^2,4.

The park rules and ParkPay fees are written for the park, so they do not apply at Big Major Cay^5,6.

Rule	Inside the park	At Big Major Cay
No-take zone: no fishing, conching, shelling or lobstering	Applies6	Park rule does not apply, outside the boundary2
Mooring and anchorage fees through ParkPay	Paid to the Trust5	Park fees do not apply, outside the boundary2

The park vs wider Exumas page sorts out which famous stops are inside the boundary, and the park boundaries map shows where the line runs.

Can you swim with the pigs and feed them?

In 2017 National Geographic reported that boats can drive up to the pigs and that it was legal for tourists to swim with and feed them³. The Ministry of Tourism’s pig page today invites visitors to bring fresh fruit¹. It also asks visitors to act responsibly when interacting with the pigs¹.

In the 2017 coverage, the Bahamas Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, V. Alfred Gray, said: “If we have boundary lines, people will be able to take photographs and see the pigs swim, but they will not be able to feed them things”³. That statement dates from 2017³.

For questions about the pigs, call The Exumas Tourist Office at (242) 336-2457¹.

What can you feed the swimming pigs?

Feed at the trough, not on the sand¹. The trough is a designated place to feed the pigs so that they do not ingest excess sand or saltwater¹.

What to do	Why
Bring fruit, vegetables, bread or pig feed bought locally	Signs on the beach list these as approved foods1
Feed at the trough	It keeps the pigs from ingesting excess sand or saltwater1
Do not give alcohol	Initial reports in 2017 said tourists had given the pigs fatal doses of alcohol; the Humane Society did not confirm alcohol as the cause3

The responsible pig beach visit guide has the full list of what to bring and what to leave on the boat. Keep food off the sand, and read it before you book a tour.

What happened to the swimming pigs in 2017?

In March 2017 National Geographic reported that seven feral pigs had been found dead on Big Major Cay, and that the toll may have reached about 10³. Humane Society inspector Ventoi Bethune said veterinarians found large quantities of sand in the dead animals’ stomachs³. He also said the pigs’ natural source of water had dried up during an unusually dry January, so little fresh water was left on the island³.

Early reports blamed alcohol, and the Humane Society did not confirm alcohol as the cause³. The government planned to post a warden on the beach to protect the animals³. That plan dates from 2017.

Residents of neighboring islands and tourists now feed the pigs⁴. A trough was installed as the designated feeding place¹.

Is swimming with the pigs safe?

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism describes the pigs as docile creatures and encourages visitors to act responsibly around them¹. Treat the trough and the signs as the rules of the beach, and keep a close watch on children in the water. For families, the Exumas with kids guide covers pigs, nurse sharks and the Thunderball Grotto in one plan.

Who looks after the pigs?

Tour operators who visit the cay bring the pigs food and water¹. Local volunteers on Staniel Cay funded water tanks and a guttering system, so the pigs have fresh water even when volunteers are not there to refill the tanks¹. They also built a nursery so piglets get proper care and nutrition after birth¹.

When you continue into the park

The park rules start at the boundary². The park office answers on VHF channel 09 when you call “Exuma Park”². The park rules page has the full list, and the park fees guide has the mooring and anchoring rates. Ask any tour operator which rules they follow at the beach.