Warthog
[ Phacochoerus africanus ]
Quick Facts
| HEIGHT: |
2 to 2.75 feet (Body Length – 43 to 53 inches) |
| WEIGHT: |
120 to 250 pounds |
| WILD DIET: |
Mostly grass. Will eat berries, bark, and roots. |
| ZOO DIET: |
Low energy pellets, apple, carrot, sweet potato, greens. |
| DISTRIBUTION: |
Senegal and Guinea, Sudan and Ethiopia to south of the Sahara |
| HABITAT: |
Savannah woodlands and grasslands |
Some Pig!
With pronounced facial warts and upturned teeth, warthogs may not be the most beautiful of animals, but they certainly are unique. Low to the ground and tough, warthogs sport two pronounced, upturned canine teeth that grow sideways from the mouth. Coupled with two sharp lower tusks and sparse hair on their bodies, warthogs look more ferocious than they actually are. In fact, as grazers and members of the pig family, warthogs are intelligent and adaptable animals. However, if threatened, these wild pigs can use their tusks for defense against predators or fighting with other warthogs.
Pigs in a Hole?
Warthogs sleep and rest in holes excavated by aardvarks and other burrowing animals. This shelter also provides warthogs with a place to stay cool during the day and warm during the night. Because they don’t have fur or body fat, warthogs are sensitive to heat and cold. When temperatures really drop, warthogs often line their holes with grass. These holes can also be a place to hide and retreat. When entering, warthogs back in, leaving their tusks exposed to ward off predators. In the morning, the wild pigs burst out of their holes at top speed—which is 30 miles per hour—getting a running start on any lurking lions or other hungry predators.
Sow-Boar Dynamics
Warthogs live in family groups, which consist of mothers (sows) and their young (piglets). Occasionally, two related families join together into a large group called a sounder. In general, sows and piglets are more social than male warthogs, called boars. Sows communicate with each other and piglets by grunting growling, snorting, and squealing. They also like to lie close together and will even groom each other.
For male warthogs, things are little different. Males leave the family group at about 20 months of age. The guys normally live by themselves and only interact with warthog family groups for breeding purposes.
Warthogs at Brookfield Zoo
Brookfield Zoo is home to four warthogs, one male and three females: Harley, Michele, Siri, all 12 years old, and 8-year-old Penny. All spend most of their day grazing on grass. During the hottest times of the year, they’re usually resting in the shade or wallowing in the mud. Currently Siri and Michele share space with the waterbuck and ostrich. Harley and Penny are just next door, across from the Nile hippo.