Warthog: Phacochoerus aethiopicus
Characteristics
Weight and Height
males: wt 150-220 lb (68-100 kg), ht 27 in (68 cm)
females: 99-156 lb (45-71 kg), ht 24 in (60 cm)
Coat
Numerous whiskers, bristles, and mane
Color
Gray skin with dark mane and tail; white cheek whiskers. Whiskers form shape that resemble a tusk. Face has wart like shapes.
Where to find it
Adjacent to arid zone of Northern and Southern Savanna; they are not found in deserts, rainforest, or mountains above 10,000 feet (3000 m). The warthog can be seen in almost any national park or reserve, but are abundant in the following: Nairobi and Amboseli NP, Masia Mara NR, Kenya; Arusha, Manyara, and Serengeti NP, Tanzania; Chobe NP, Botswanna; Kruger NP, South Africa.
Habitat
The warthog is generally found in the savanna and has adapted well to living in that climate. The warthog relies on burrows to escape from predators and prefers a burrow to thick forests or dense cover. One thing that makes the warthog stand apart from other animals is the fact that they have an unprecedented ability to find buried rhizomes and bulbs which are very nutritious. This allows up to 78 warthogs per sq. mi (30.sq. km) to live in a prime habitat with abundant food and water. Not only do warthogs dig for their food, they also graze during the rainy season when the grass is green and then feed on tubers, bulbs and rhizomes of grasses during the dry season. Warthogs must drink daily since their food does not contain a lot of moisture.
Activity
Warthogs are diurnal animals. On average, warthogs will travel up to 4.3 mi (7 km) a day in search of good food and water.
Social Systems
Sows live in clans which share the same home ranges. Mothers and daughters will generally stay together for up to 2 years in the same clan before splitting apart.
Most home ranges are typically 430 acres, but can be as small as 158 acres (72 ha) and as large as 924 acres (420 ha). In any given group of warthogs, there are usually 5 total, 1 sow and her offspring. Some groups totaling about 16 warthogs will have 4 or 5 sows accompanied by several offspring.
Males also stay on the home range in which they were born. After 4 years of living with brothers or other unrelated males, the mature males join female groups while the sows are in heat.
Reproduction
Warthogs are considered seasonal breeders. Mating takes place when the rainy season ends. The gestation period is 160 to 170 days so this means that there is a birth peak as the rainy season begins (September through December). Both males and females become fertile by 18 or 19 months, but most males do not begin mating until the age of 4.
Predators
Spotted hyena, cheetah, wild dog
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