# Warthog — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Phacochoerus africanus (Gmelin, 1788)*

> The common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) is a grazing wild pig of African savanna, listed as Least Concern; recognisable by facial warts and tusks, it kneels to graze and shelters in burrows when threatened.

**IUCN status:** Least Concern (IUCN, 2016)  ·  **WARN range:** Sub-Saharan Africa

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Weight | 50–150 kg |
| Tusks | Upper and lower pairs; lower tusks curve upward |
| Diet | Grazer — short grass, roots, occasional fruit |
| Speed | Up to 50 km/h |
| Shelter | Burrows — usually abandoned aardvark holes |
| CITES | Not listed |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Artiodactyla
- **Family:** Suidae (pigs)
- **Genus:** Phacochoerus
- **Species:** Phacochoerus africanus (Gmelin, 1788)

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Least Concern (IUCN, 2016). Stable across most of sub-Saharan Africa.
- **Population:** No global estimate; abundant in protected areas
- **Trend:** Stable or increasing in southern Africa; decreasing locally from bushmeat hunting
- **Assessed:** 2016
- **CITES:** Not listed under CITES

## Key facts: Warthog
- Warthogs kneel on their front wrists to graze — a distinctive feeding posture.
- Facial 'warts' are thick skin pads, not tumours — larger in males.
- They shelter in burrows, usually abandoned aardvark holes, entering tail-first.
- Warthogs can run at 50 km/h and are faster than they appear.
- Desert warthog of the Horn of Africa is a separate, less-known species.
- Bushmeat hunting is the main threat across much of their range.

## Two warthog species
Two warthog species exist in the genus Phacochoerus.

The common warthog (P. africanus) ranges across sub-Saharan Africa in savanna, woodland and grassland. The desert warthog (P. aethiopicus) is restricted to the Horn of Africa — Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya — and is less well studied. Both have the characteristic warthog profile: large head with facial warts, upward-curving lower tusks and downward-curving upper tusks, a sparse mane along the spine and a tufted tail held erect when running. Common warthogs weigh 50–150 kg; males carry larger warts and tusks.

## Grazing, burrows and behaviour
Warthogs are primarily grazers, eating short grass, roots and occasionally fruit or carrion. They kneel on calloused front wrists to reach grass close to the ground — a behaviour that makes them efficient competitors in grazed savanna.

At night and during heat, warthogs retreat to burrows, entering backwards so tusks face the entrance. They often use burrows dug by aardvarks, though they can excavate their own. Family groups consist of a female and her offspring; males are usually solitary. Warthogs allow oxpeckers and mongooses to remove parasites from their skin — a mutualistic relationship.

## Predators and defence
Lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs and hyenas prey on warthogs, particularly piglets and subadults. Adult warthogs defend themselves with sharp lower tusks — males clash during the rut. Their speed — up to 50 km/h — and habit of retreating to burrows provide effective escape. Piglets are vulnerable during the first months; females give birth in burrows and the litter stays underground for several weeks. Warthog alarm calls — grunts and snorts — alert group members to danger.

## Conservation status
The IUCN lists the common warthog as Least Concern with a stable or increasing population trend across most of its range. Warthogs are not listed under CITES. Bushmeat hunting with snares and guns reduces populations in Central and West Africa, where warthog is a valued food source. Habitat loss to agriculture affects local abundance. In southern and East African protected areas, warthog populations remain healthy. The desert warthog has a restricted range and may warrant separate assessment as data improve.

## Related WARN guides
Warthogs are savanna pigs — read WARN's wildebeest and impala guides for grazing neighbours, hyena and lion pages for predators, and meerkat guide for shared African grassland.

Antelope and gazelle pages cover ungulate guild context.

Burrow-sharing with aardvarks links warthogs to other ecosystem engineers.

## What WARN does
WARN publishes this warthog guide as free public education. Bushmeat hunting that threatens warthog populations also devastates the predators and ecosystems of African savanna.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

## Frequently asked questions: Warthog
### Why do warthogs have warts?
The 'warts' are thick skin pads — not tumours — that protect the face during fights between males. Warts are larger in males and sit above the eyes and on the cheeks.

### Why do warthogs kneel to eat?
Warthogs kneel on their front wrists to graze short grass close to the ground. Calloused wrist joints support this posture, which is unique among African grazing mammals.

### What is the difference between a warthog and a wild boar?
Warthogs (Phacochoerus) are African suids with facial warts and upward tusks. Wild boars (Sus scrofa) are Eurasian pigs without warts. They belong to different genera and continents.

### Do warthogs live in burrows?
Yes. Warthogs use burrows — usually abandoned aardvark holes — for shelter and raising young. They enter backwards so their tusks face the entrance.

### Are warthogs dangerous?
Warthogs generally flee from humans but will defend themselves with tusks if cornered. Male warthogs clash with each other during the rut. Unprovoked attacks on people are rare.

### Are warthogs endangered?
Common warthogs are Least Concern with stable populations across most of sub-Saharan Africa. Bushmeat hunting reduces local numbers but the species remains widespread.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List — Phacochoerus africanus](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41767/44141841)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica — warthog](https://www.britannica.com/animal/warthog)
- [San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance — warthog](https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/warthog)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/warthog