Warthog

Appearance

As a member of the pig family, it has a naked skin with sparse, long bristles. A characteristic feature of Warthogs is the protruding curved tusks, which in boars grow into formidable weapons. These tusks are used to dig up roots, which all Warthog relish. Boars stand 680mm high and weigh 80 Kg. Sows are smaller at a height of 600mm and an average mass of 57 Kg. Wartlike tubercles on the large, flat head is another distinctive feature of this animal. A tuft of hair at the end of the thin tail, is very visible when the tail is held erect during running.

Diet

They feed mainly on grass and roots, but also take bulbs, fruits, carrion, insects, scorpions, earthworms, centipedes and bones.

Breeding

Mating takes place during May and June and three to four piglets are born during October to December, after a gestation period of 175 days. Young are weaned at three months and sexual activity is commenced at 18 months, occasionally as early as 6 months.

Behaviour

Warthogs are day animals and spend most of their time looking for food. They are normally found in family groups. Warthogs have the peculiar habit of kneeling on the front knees while feeding and foraging in a localised area. They shelter in burrows at night, which they enter tail first. Socially, three main groups are encountered, namely solitary boars, bachelor groups and matriarchal groups.

Matriarchal groups consist of adult sows with their young and yearlings. Boars play no part in rearing piglets and seldom associate with sows outside the mating process. Promiscuous, both sexes will mate with more than one partner. Warthogs can frequently be found at waterholes where they dig in the marsh and wallow in the mud with obvious enthusiasm.

Habitat

Warthogs have a wide habitat tolerance, although its distribution range shows a strong correlation with open woodland savannahs.

Where they are found

Warthogs are widely distributed, and presently not threatened in South Africa. They still occur naturally on farms throughout the range, and is being re-introduced into the areas where they have become locally extinct.

They are also found in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Kenya, Zambia and Tanzania. They occur in open savannah around water holes and marshy areas throughout the Kruger National Park.

Predators

The young may be taken by Eagles and Jackal with Lion, Hyaena, Cheetah, Leopard and Crocodile being the main enemies of the adults.

Latin name

Phacochoerus aethiopicus

Vital Statistics

Latin Name

Phacochoerus Aethiopicus

Weight (Female)

45 - 70 kg

Weight (Male)

60 - 100 kg

Gestation Period

3 months

No of Young

1 - 8 piglets

Sexual Maturity

18 months

Birth Weight

600 g

Order

Artiodactyla

Family

Suidae

Running Speed

40 km/h

Horns

Tusks average at 25 cm

Breeding

September - December

Spoor Description

Hoofs are narrower than those of Bushpigs, and the dew claws usually mark clearly in the spoor.