Warthogs often avoid fighting predators by running away or hiding in a burrow.
Warthogs often avoid fighting predators by running away or hiding in a burrow.
Warthog
These fierce-looking creatures can run fast.
- Common Name:
- Warthog
- Scientific Name:
- Phacochoerus africanus
- Type:
- Mammals
- Diet:
- Herbivore
- Group Name:
- Sounder
- Average Life Span In The Wild:
- 15 years
- Size:
- Height at shoulder: 30 inches
- Weight:
- 120 to 250 pounds
With four tusks and large shovel-shaped heads, warthogs look fierce, but they often avoid fighting predators such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, wild dogs, or hyenas by running away or dodging into a burrow. Warthogs can run as fast as 30 miles (48 kilometers) an hour, often outdistancing a pursuer.
When cornered by predators, warthogs will attack with their sharp lower tusks, which can measure 6 inches (15 centimeters) long. Older warthogs have long curved upper tusks that can grow as long as 2 feet (61 centimeters). Warthogs are generally peaceful, but sometimes a male may attack another male during mating season.