Namibia safaris Home Self Drive Wild at Heart Safari Blog Wildlife of Namibia Mountain Zebra Facts The African Elephant Desert Elephants Cheetahs Honey Badger Black Backed Jackal Springbuck Oryx Meerkat Giraffe Black Rhino Leopard Warthog Blue Wildebeest African Wild Dog Lions Serval African Buffalo Spotted Hyeana Bat Eared Fox Brown Hyena Namibia Etosha National Park Namibia. Swakopmund Namibia Windhoek Namibia Sossusvlei Damaraland Sandwich Harbor The Central Region North East and Caprivi Eastern Region Sand Dunes Sand Namibia General Information About Us Testimonials A Joy To Watch The Desert Elephants Awe inspiring, Graeme England My safari trip in Namibia Africa Namibia is majestic with its Another Namibian adventure The Extra Mile Holiday To Remember prawn and three cheese starter twice Safari in Namibia Contact Us Etosha National Park Tours 3 Days Etosha National Park Mid Range 3 Days Etosha Park Luxury Accommodation 5 Days Etosha Pan Mid Range 5 Days Etosha Safari – Luxury Accommodation Day Trips & Short Excursions Sandwich Harbour The Spitskoppe Messum Crater Namib Naukluft Park Skeleton Coast Namibia Swakopmund Namibia Half-day Trail Popular Safaris Desert Elephants Namibia The Perfect Photo Safari Sanctuaries of a Namibian Safari A Namibia Safari To Remember Safari holidays Jewels of Namibia Jewels of Namibia - Extended African safari Namibia safari holidays Golf Safari Namib Treks & Expeditions Climb Brandberg Namibias highest peak Fish river Canyon Hike Waterberg Namibia Plateau Wilderness The Namib Naukluft Park Namibia Brandberg - Bushman Painting Exploration

WARTHOG – A HANDSOME HOG

The Warthog,Phacochoerus aethiopicus, is found in Africa, south of the Sahara. Not the most attractive of animals, warthog are strong, adaptable and intelligent.

In Namibia, Warthog are found all over the country. From the dry Western parts all the way down to the South. They increase in numbers as one moves to the East and the North. The Warthog hails from the pig family. It is different in several ways though. The Warthog have two sturdy tusks that curve outwards and upwards. It has a flat snout with a greyish body. It usually has a long crest or mane of hair from the head to the rump. In males the grotesque facial warts are also very evident.

Warthogs are strongly built animals when fully grown. They can weigh anything from 15 to 30 kilograms.

Warthogs prefer open savannah or woodlands. Warthog are omnivorous. They will graze on grass but will also eat berries, roots and the bark of young trees. Warthogs are usually seen kneeling down when feeding, mainly due to its short neck. Warthog have been seen feeding on carcasses of other game, but this is usually during prolonged dry periods in Namibia. Warthogs are known for their ability to dig deep holes or burrows. These are used as living areas and also where the sow will give birth to her young. Warthogs are mainly diurnal, and will retreat to their burrow with the onset of night. Warthogs absolutely love their mud baths, so they are never too far away from open water. These mud baths are a way of controlling ticks and other insects on the warthog’s body. After such a bath the warthog will jog away and once the mud has dried on the body, the warthog will look for something to rub itself upon. A rock or trees are favourite places for this activity.

Warthog

Warthogs have strong social structure. The basis of this structure is the female with her litter. Bachelor males also sometimes form a group, but as they grow older the group will split up. Fully grown males are mostly alone, and only meet up with a group when it is mating season. Mating season commences with the first rains. A male will mate with a femal and then be on his merry way again. Gestation period is anything between 5 to 6 months. The piglets are weaned in 21 weeks. After 7 days of suckling on the female, the piglets can already start eating solid foods.

Predators of the warthog are mainly lion, leopard and Spotted Hyena. Warthog are actively hunted by predators. This does not always mean the hunt is successful. Warthog are well equipped with their tusks to put up a good fight, and this often happens. Warthog prefer company of other animals like Zebra, Blue Wildebeest and Springbuck as well. This is a defensive mechanism as there is safety in numbers, and in a herd there are many watchful eyes and ears.

Warthog are found all over Namibia. In Game Reserves and National Parks even more so. Etosha National Park, the Namib Naukluft Park, Kaudom Game Reserve and in the Hardap Game reserve, there is strong and healthy populations of warthog present.

It is an absolute joy to watch these animals. They are funny and full of life and have adapted superbly to their environmental conditions.



		© 2011 Wild at Heart Safaris