mammal · GBIF taxon 2441212
Warthog
Phacochoerus africanusAlso known as Common Warthog, African Warthog, Savannah Warthog
Common warthogs are resilient African wild pigs easily recognized by their facial warts, curved tusks, and the comical habit of running with their tails held straight up like antennae. They are diurnal grazers that frequently kneel on padded wrists to feed on short grasses, roots, and bulbs. At night, they seek refuge in abandoned aardvark burrows, backing in tail-first to defend the entrance with their formidable tusks.
DiurnalSavannaTusked
- diet
- Herbivorous (grasses, roots, bulbs, tubers, bark, and occasionally carrion)
- family
- Suidae
- threats
- Habitat loss, hunting for bushmeat, drought, and disease outbreaks like African swine fever
- life Span
- 12 to 15 years in the wild
LC
Can charge and inflict severe wounds with sharp tusks; observe from a safe distance inside a vehicle.
- Vehicle Observation: Watch them from safari vehicles, as they are accustomed to cars but flee if approached on foot.
- Burrow Awareness: Avoid walking near active aardvark holes where startled warthogs might bolt out blindly.
- Tail Signal: Look for their upright tails, which act as visual beacons for piglets following through tall grass.