Warthog

In the classic Disney movie, The Lion King, audiences are introduced to different animals found in the African jungles and safari. One of the most notable characters would be Pumba the warthog. Warthogs are usually found in central and southern Africa where they commonly go around with the herds of antelopes and gazelles.

The warthog, also known as the Common Warthog, are wild pigs that live in savannas, woodlands and grasslands in Sub-Saharan Africa. They were once considered as a wild pig subspecies, P. aethiopicus. However, this scientific name has become restricted to Desert Warthogs found in eastern Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. Warthogs are named after the four, wart-like lumps found on their heads. These are actually their fat reserve and act much like a camel’s hump. Male warthogs also use this as defense during fights. Natives call these pigs "vlakvark" which means "pig of the plains.”

Warthogs are usually 3 to 5 feet long and can weigh up to 100 to 170 lb. they have four tusks that grow from their mouth and curve upwards. These tusks are made from ivory and are constantly growing.  The lower tusks are shorter and become very sharp due to the constant rubbing against their upper pair. The warthog uses their tusks for digging, self-defense and combat.  They can inflict very deep and severe wounds using their lower tusks.

Their heads are large and they have a mane that goes down their spine, ending at the middle area of their backs. They have long tails that have a ball of hair that grows at the end. Unlike other pigs, warthogs are actually very lean and don’t have subcutaneous fats. This makes them very tolerant to extreme temperature and environmental changes.

Warthog Video