African warthog: description, photo, lifestyle in the wild

Animals such as pigs and wild boars are familiar to everyone from childhood, but among this huge family of grunting and screeching animals there is one very interesting and amazing sight. African warthog, whose photo is now in front of you, is the prototype of all the famous Pumba from the cartoon "The Lion King". The cheerful character really showed viewers a lot of truthful details about the way of life of real warthogs in the wild.

The African wild pig is quite unusual both in appearance and behavior. These wild animals live in nature in the African savannah. They are very different from their relatives. From this article you will learn how to live, how to eat and how to reproduce amazing creatures of nature - African warthogs.

Warthog: photo, description

Coming to the description of the appearance of the warthog, I want to immediately say, because of what he was so called. The thing is that the muzzle of the animal is covered with warts. With age, they increase, the old boars go with large cones, which are growths from the skin.

When you first saw a warthog, you immediately pay attention to a disproportionately large head, which is additionally flattened. Large, simply huge white fangs also attract the eye.

African warthog - a cloven-hoofed very large animal. Its length sometimes reaches two meters with a weight of 110-120 kg. Against the background of such a powerful physique, his thin tail looks rather funny. If the animal is somewhat alarmed or puzzled, it quickly runs through the savanna, while its tail is amusingly lifted up. Watching such a picture, you can not help smiling.

The wool of the African mumps is tough and sparse. Through such a bad "fur coat" thick dark skin can be seen . This animal under the African climate warm fur to anything, nature has taken care that it was not too hot. In addition, probably trying to somehow decorate the unsightly appearance of the warthog, she awarded him a long mane, which "flaunts" on the nape and along the ridge.

Habitats in the natural environment

In a natural environment, the warthog lives on the African continent. The largest population of these animals is observed to the south of the Sahara desert, in Tanzania. African wild boars do not like open countryside and dense forests. They prefer to settle in the savanna, where there are dry bushes.

Usually, as noted by scientists, cloven-hoofed animals do not suit their permanent residence. This does not apply to the warthog, which picks up a suitable place and settles in a cozy den. Interesting is the fact that the beast, wanting to take a nap in his home, crawls there, backing off like a cancer. As a result, his head with huge fangs is at the entrance to the "house". Thus, the wild boar is protected from attack by enemies.

Lifestyle in the wild

African warthogs are very different in their behavior and way of life from other types of pigs. To begin with, at night this large wild boar prefers to sleep sweetly in its lair, while other of its brethren sleep during the day, and graze at night.

The fangs of this animal are large, with a bend to the top. They serve him as a weapon against the enemies, but during battles with other males the warthog only growls and tries to push the rival away, leaning against his forehead with his forehead. Fangs during such battles are not allowed to use, while other species of wild boars for any case attack with canines.

The main natural enemy of the warthog is the lion. To protect themselves from attack by a predator at night, wild boars often use as a lair dwelling of the pipe-toothed, where they feel protected. This neighborhood does not harm either the owner or the guest, since the pipe-toothed animals leave the house at night to procure food.

What does the warthog eat?

The African warthogs eat mainly plant food. Its menu includes: berries, plant leaves, tree bark, grass. But such a diet is still diluted with protein food, in a hungry time wild boars can eat even carrion. So you can not call these animals vegetarians, they are omnivores.

Warthogs got by nature too long legs with a very short neck. For this reason, they are unable to pinch the grass. To graze, the animal has to kneel, the same thing it does at the watering place. Because of this, warts are "flaunting" on their knees coarse large calluses.

African Warthog: Reproduction

There are no concrete terms for the marriage period for warthogs. This is explained by the warm climate in which these fanged pigs live. When they have a breeding season, they do not turn into aggressive animals; on the contrary, they behave peacefully and relatively calmly. Only occasionally do males penetrate the spirit of rivalry and make fights, colliding with their foreheads.

The female bore cubs in its womb for about 6 months. When there is little time left until delivery, the expectant mother feels this and rarely comes out of the den. She tries to make babies born in a hole. Usually there are no more than four piglets in one farrowing.

Warthog and Man

African warthogs can do a lot of harm to people. Large boars in some areas ruin plantations and fields, trampling and eating planted vegetation.

The benefit of the animal is that people are happy to eat the meat of warthogs. It is not only very nutritious and tasty, but also useful. In general, the African boar is a fairly harmless animal, despite its large, powerful body and huge fangs.