Warthog |
Unique Features
The warthog got its name from the "warts" on its face, which are not warts at all but actually outgrowths of thickened skin. Male warthogs have two pairs of "warts" while the females have only one pair. The warthog has hard callouses on its knees that provides support in its typical kneeling position when feeding. Warthogs mainly graze on grass, roots, wild fruit and will sometimes eat carrion. They live in burrows and usually enter the burrow backwards. During hot days they wallow in mud baths to cool down, and during cold spells they bask in the sun or huddle together to keep warm. Predators The warthog's main enemies are lion, leopard, hyena, cheetah and crocodiles. Warthog piglets are also hunted by jackal and eagles. When attacked, warthogs will put up a formidable fight to resist their predators but their best defense is to hide in a burrow. When being hunted, warthogs will run for their burrows at full speed, then skid around at the last minute and reverse into the burrow, so that they are able to face their attacker with their slashing tusks at the ready. Sometimes they back into an occupied burrow by mistake and get porcupine quills in the rump for their trouble! They may spend the whole day hiding in the burrow while their enemy lurks outside, waiting for them to come out. If they are forced to leave the burrow, they will explode from it at speed, slashing with their tusks as they go along. Family Ties Warthogs live in family units called a sounder, which usually numbers 4 - 5, but may sometimes include as many as 15 family members. The family unit is matriarchal, which means a female is the leader of the family. Warthogs stick to a home range with a supply of food and water within their teritory. In the dry season when food may be scarce and their water supply dry up completely, they will rather die of thirst or hunger than leave their home range. The warthog's burrow not only provides shelter, but also a safe place to hide from predators. Although the warthog is able to dig its own burrow, they usually prefer to take over the old burrow of an antbear, or they'll move into a rock crevice or an eroded donga. The warthog sow gives birth to her piglets in the burrow. Two sows often share a burrow and suckle each other's young. At the age of six weeks the young are able to leave the burrow and follow their mother, joined by the sow's previous litter, to form a sounder. |