Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing warthogs. These mammals get their common name
from the fleshy protrusions on the sides of their face. These "warts" keep their heads protected.
Warts are larger in males because they bash their heads together when fighting over females.
In females the warts are still present but much smaller. Female warthogs are also about 20%
smaller than males in general. These pigs range in weight from 100 to over 300 pounds (45-136kg) as
adults and stand approximately two and a half feet (76cm) tall at the shoulder.
They have coarse, sparse hair that doesn't provide much protection,
however, they have long and glorious manes running down their backs. Warthogs also have
a tuft of hair at the tip of their tail which may be used to communicate danger to family members.
Warthogs can reach over 30 miles per hour (48kph) in short bursts. Their tail is held high while
they run with the tuft of fur on the end acting like a flag in the wind. This is believed to send
a message to the rest of the group that a predator is nearby. Predators to warthogs include lions,
leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, and more, but warthogs can defend themselves if attacked. They
have tusks that can reach up to 10 inches (25cm) in length as well as many burrows throughout
their home range in which to hide. Warthogs back into burrows bum first so that if any
predator chases them in, as lions are prone to do, they are met with a face full of warthog tusks!
Their tusks are overgrown canine teeth, and their sharpened lower tusks can really
cause some damage to foes. For this reason, their lower tusks aren't used in matches over females.
There are two warthog species, the common warthog and the desert warthog. The desert warthog is also
referred to as the cape warthog. Both species live in Africa and both species avoid dense forests.
Desert warthogs, as their name implies, are more tolerant of dry habitats and are more common in
desert-like regions. The two can be told apart by their teeth. Common warthogs have incisors
while desert warthogs don't have any! Desert warthogs may also be slightly wider in the face
and their "warts" may face downward in comparison to the common warthog's
upward facing warts, though these aren't entirely reliable distinctions.
Warthogs use aardvark burrows for shelter from extreme heat and cold. They're lean and have
little fat on their bodies, so they need these dens where the temperature remains consistent.
Burrows are also used for raising their young. Warthogs live in family groups of females and
their offspring. Males only come around during the breeding season which may be year-round
in some places or dependent on the rainy season in others. Males compete in dominance matches
but overall warthogs aren't territorial. Group ranges may overlap and burrows may be shared.
These pigs have multiple partners and the female gestates for about half a year.
She'll give birth in her den, and the babies remain in the burrow for six weeks. They'll live
with their mother for at least two years and related females nurse each other’s offspring,
especially if one has lost a litter. In the wild, they average about ten years old,
but have been known to double this. They're most vulnerable when they're young.
Warthogs are part of the pig family and make pig-like squeals, grunts, and screams.
Here's an example of what a warthog sounds like: (audio).
These pigs have a diverse diet. Warthogs eat grasses,
tree bark, roots, tubers they dig up with their tusks, and even carrion if the need
arises. They take a bow while they eat by leaning on padded joints in their front legs.
This gets their large head even closer to the ground while they graze!
For more facts on warthogs, check out the links below. Give a thumbs up if
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