Warthog
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| Phacochoerus africanus (Pallas, 1766) |
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 Distribution of the Common Warthog Possible range or accidental records
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The warthog or common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus, "African Lens-Pig") is a wild member of the pig family that lives in Africa. The common name comes from the four large wart-like tusks found on the head of the warthog, which serve the purpose of defense when males fight. They are the only widely recognised species in their genus, though some authors divide them into two species. On that classification, P. africanus is the common (or northern) warthog and P. aethiopicus is the desert warthog, also known as the Cape or Somali warthog.
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[edit] Subspecies
- Northern warthog (Phacochoerus africanus africanus)
- Eritrean warthog (Phacochoerus africanus aeliani)
- Central African warthog (Phacochoerus africanus massaicus)
- Southern warthog (Phacochoerus africanus sundevallii)
[edit] Description
Warthogs range in size from 0.9 to 1.5 metres (2.9-4.9 feet) in length and 50 to 150 kg (110-330 pounds) in weight. A warthog is identifiable by the two pairs of tusks protruding from the mouth, which are used as weapons against predators. The upper canine teeth can grow to 9 inches (23 cm), and are of a squashed circle shape in cross section, almost rectangular, being about 1¾ in (4.5 cm) deep and 1 in (2.5 cm) wide. The tusk will curve 90 degrees or more from the root,[citation needed] and the tusk will not lie flat on a table, as it curves somewhat backwards as it grows. The tusks are used for digging, for combat with other hogs, and in defence against predators -- the lower set can inflict severe wounds.
Warthog ivory is taken from the constantly growing canine teeth. Each warthog has a pair of teeth in each jaw with the lower teeth being far shorter than the upper teeth. Both pairs grow upwards, with the upper teeth being by far the more spectacular in appearance. The lower pair, however, are the more dangerous: the teeth are straight, sharply pointed, and keep a keen edge by the upper pair rubbing against the lower pair. The tusks, more often the upper set, are worked much in the way of elephant tusks with all designs scaled down. Tusks are carved predominantly for the tourist trade in East and Southern Africa.[citation needed]
[edit] Ecology
Although warthogs are commonly seen in (and associated with) open grasslands, they will seek shelter and forage in denser vegetation. In fact, warthogs prefer to forage in dense, moist areas when available.[citation needed] The common warthog diet is omnivorous, composed of grasses, roots, berries and other fruits, bark, fungi, eggs, dead animals, and even small mammals, reptiles and birds. The diet is seasonably variable, depending on availability of different food items. Areas with many bulbs, rhizomes and nutritious roots can support large numbers of warthogs. Warthogs are powerful diggers, using both heads and feet. When feeding, they often bend the front legs backwards and move around staying on the knees.[citation needed] Although they can dig their own burrows, they commonly occupy abandoned aardvark burrows. The warthog commonly enters burrows "back-end first", with the head always facing the opening and ready to burst out as needed.
Warthogs are fast runners and quite capable jumpers. They will often run with their tails in the air. Despite poor eyesight, warthogs have a good sense of smell, which they use for locating food, detecting predators and recognizing other animals.
Although capable of fighting, and males will aggressively fight each other during mating season, a primary defense is to flee by means of fast sprinting. The main warthog predators are humans, lions, leopards, crocodiles, and hyenas. Cheetahs are also capable of catching small warthogs.
Warthogs have been observed allowing banded mongooses groom them to remove ticks.[1]
[edit] Longevity
Wild warthogs can live up to 15 years, and captive warthogs may live as long as 18 years.[citation needed] The typical gestation period is 5 or 6 months and the litter is 2 to 8 piglets, although 2 to 4 is more typical.[citation needed] Piglets are weaned at 3 or 4 months of age, reaching sexual maturity at 18 to 24 months. Females may give birth twice or, in extremely rare cases, up to five times per year.
[edit] See also
[edit] References in pop culture
Fictional warthog characters are common in popular culture worldwide, including Pumbaa from The Lion King, Reynold from Jungle Jam and Friends: The Radio Show!, Bebop from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Herbert from 64 Zoo Lane, Wally in Rampage: Total Destruction, Crabs the warthog doll from Cow and Chicken, the crime-fighting Wonder Wart-Hog, and Ms. Mucus from Camp Lazlo. The presumed ugliness of warthogs is the basis for other references, such as the Foxtrot comic strip and in other cartoons such as The Far Side and provides the title for the long-lasting Finnish humor magazine Pahkasika ("Warthog" in Finnish).
The A-10 Thunderbolt II aeroplane is nicknamed "Warthog", as is a vehicle in the Halo video game series. Warthogs themselves appear as a form of transport in the video game Crash Bandicoot. "Wart Hog" is also a song by punk rock group The Ramones, found on their album Too Tough to Die.
The Winston-Salem minor league baseball team from North Carolina, USA is named the "Warthogs", inspired in the early 1990s by the arrival of warthogs at the North Carolina Zoo.
[edit] References
- Pigs & Peccaries Specialist Group (1996). Phacochoerus africanus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
- (Common) Warthog at Animal Diversity Web
- The Zoo Pen (actual footage of a Warthog)
