Warthogs are wild pigs also known as pumba, they are in the same family as domestic pigs, with dull grey color to black with a naked skin. They are named warthogs because of the wart-like bumps on their large elongated face, these warts protect their eyes from being damaged by the hogs that protrude from the mouth with 30 inches of shoulders the eyes are set high on the head enabling to lookout for predators and when it lows to feed on short grass.

Warthogs are found in sub-Saharan Africa, they are wild pigs of African bush and can be found in Uganda’s savanna National parks or open Habitats since they are herbivorous wild animals. They use holes for other creatures to sleep in, Their sexually experienced at the age of 4years old the males while the females can get pregnant for the first time at the age of 18 and 20 months, after a few months of rainy season the females search for the males it takes 3 estrus days (heat when female is ready to be mate) while males make grunting sounds during mate.

They have 12 birth intervals the female is called a sow and a male a Boar, they have 4 teats and each piglet suckle on one teat and even if the other piglet dies the other do not suckle the teat, this species has the longest gestation period of any type of pig it takes 170 to 175 days when the period for giving birth comes the females will live in sounders but will isolate themselves in burrows to give birth in case the female had a young one called the piglet, the female will chase away the litter it has been raising, it gives birth to 1 to 8 young ones , the piglet weighs 1 -2 pounds then the young one feeds on milk for 4 months then diet on grass when they reach 2 months they can also feed on roots, grass, berries, eggs, during dry season warthogs feed on bulbs and tubers. When its water season, they regularly take water and play in muddy sand while bathing this is similar to domestic animals and most of their characters are the same.

Warthogs can live in an area without water for several months, they have a height of 2.1 – 2.8 ft and live to 15 years of their life span the male weighs 50 pounds and has more weight than a female warthog.

They have long legs but when eating grass they kneel down with their fore wrists bent especially when feeding on short grass, roots, and eggs.

When moving or travelling they always move in a small group called sounders led by one dominant male with many females in that group and when alarmed the tail is raised up high acting like a signal beacon with a great sense of smell, hearing. They are tough and sturdy animals also known for their strength when attacked after signalling the other sounders, they protect themselves from predators by sliding backwards into a hole since they have poor vision thou not better than other wild animals.

When warthogs are threatened or startled they can run 34 miles per hour while using squeal sounds for information to the others .They have different predators for example lions, leopard, hyenas, crocodiles because they are carnivorous and humans, humans kill warthogs for raiding wheat, rice, beans, groundnuts field since they are known for their strength and can kill animals with severe wounds, their greatest threats is drought and hurting not forgetting they cause swine fever in Africa, they look to have a very peacefully appearance but very dangerous if attacked warthogs are endangered species.

Warthogs (Pumba)