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Wildlife: Mammals -
Warthog 1/3
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Phacochoerus Aethiopicus, Warthog, Vlakvark.
 Description
The warthog is a very large and funny looking inhabitant of the bushveld. It has
a compact and robust body with a short and strong neck. The head is heavy
tapering to a blunt snout. There is a crest of long black, brown or yellowish
bristles on top of the neck and back. The ears have rounded tips and the small
eyes are set high on the head. Beneath each eye, on the side of the head, is a
prominent lump, the so-called wart. Thus the name warthog. Males have another
pair of warts further down the snout. The canine teeth form prominent tusks,
growing outwards then curving upwards and over the top of the snout. The upper
canine teeth are longer and thicker than the lower ones. The legs are short,
each foot carries a cloven hoof with a pair of false hooves close above it. The
tail is thin and has a tuft of bristles at its tip. It is carried upward, like
an antenna, when the warthog runs. Males will reach up to 130 centimetres in
length, females will reach up to 120 centimetres in length. Shoulder heights
measure 72 centimetres at the most in males, 66 centimetres in females. Males
will weigh up to 80 kilogramms with females weighing up to 69 kilogramms.
Habitat
Warthogs will thrive in open woodland, grassland, vleis and
floodplains. They are often seen around waterholes during the
day because they like mud.
Diet
The largest part of the diet consists out of grasses. From sees
to roots, to underground stems, all will be eaten. The warthog
will also eat fruits, bark, invertebrates and at times carrion.
At times it will prey on rats, frogs and snakes. In the Kruger
National Park at times warthogs become a nuisance raiding
garbage cans in rest camps and stealing cattle food. Babies can
be seen eating their mothers dung to get their bacteria system
working. It will also eat bones, soils and stones to obtain
sufficient minerals.
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