Common warthog

Warthogs are a species of pig, native to the sub-Saharan regions of Africa. Warthogs are commonly identified by their large tusks protruding from their mouths. As well, the warthog has sparse hair but are mostly bald with a thicker mane on the animals back. And the animal's large flat head is covered in bumps, often considered "warts" which are for protective purposes. The warthog's main diet is made up of grasses and plants, and their tusks and snouts are used to dig for roots or bulbs. And, despite the warthog's appearance, when startled or threatened, the warthog can run at speeds up to 30 miles an hour.

Example of Warthog

Warthog kneeling to eat short grasses.

Warthogs are omnivorous animals, but they are also considered herbivores because they do not hunt prey. Instead the warthog's diet is largely vegetation, including roots, berries, bark, bulbs, grass, and plants. However, they do eat meat as they will eat dead animals, worms, or bugs they find as they forage.

Female warthogs have up to eight young at a time, but the usual number of young is between two and three. The gestation period is around six months. Baby warthogs are called piglets and weigh around 1 to 2 lbs at birth. Piglets are weaned around 4 months old and mature at 20 months. Females tend to stay with their mother as adults, while male piglets will go off on their own. The typical warthog lifespan is 12 to 18 years.

Warthog piglets.

The warthog is not a territorial animal but rather has a "home range" which can be considered a comfort zone of the warthog. The common warthog lives in a group called a sounder. Female warthogs usually stick to their sounder, while male warthogs prefer to live alone and often only join a sounder in order to mate.

The warthog, despite its ability to excavate with their tusks, prefer to live in holes dug by other animals, with a common favorite being the aardvarks. Although, if the hole is occupied, the warthog will not fight for it or take it, being a generally passive animal. The animal sleeps and rests in the holes, which are important for thermoregulation, as the warthog has neither fur nor significant fat, meaning it suffers from a lack of protection from the sun and insulation from the cold. A warthog will fill their hole with grass for insulation.

How warthogs keep bugs from them.

The warthog's conservation status, or concern, is of least concern, meaning the animal is considered to be in a good ecological position and without concern for their territory or species being threatened through human intervention.

The warthog has natural predators, which include common carnivores in sub-Sahara Africa such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs. The animal is also hunted for food and sport and can be destructive to crops and has been considered a threat to domestic livestock. This is largely because the warthog can be a carrier of swine fever.

• In the Disney-owned Lion King media franchise, the secondary protagonist Pumbaa is a warthog. Pumbaa was voiced by actor Ernie Sabella in the original animated motion picture release of The Lion King; the character has also been voiced by Michel Elias and Seth Rogan in later spinoffs and reboots of The Lion King.