======  WARTHOG ==
Class: MAMMALIA

Order: ARTIODACTYLA

Family: SUIDAE

Genus: PHACOCHOERUS

[{{ :warthog.png?nolink&200| //The most glamorous member of the animal kingdom? perhaps not, but don't let that distract from the fact that warthogs are not picky eaters, and serve an important role in their ecosystem//.}}]
**A**n average-sized pig, native to Africa, that is classified as two species. These are the Common Warthog, found throughout Africa in a number of habitats, especially savannah and woodland, and the Desert Warthog, which prefers more dry habitats. The two are thought to have diverged some 3 million years ago, and the two appear rather similar in build and colouring. The original warthog may have appeared some 7 million years ago, from an ancestor it shared with the more elusive, and larger Giant Forest Hog.

===== I. WARTHOG PHYSIOLOGY =====
The most apparent feature of the warthog's appearance may be its interestingly-shaped head - the 'wart' in 'warthog' comes from the four prominent facial warts that are seen in the males. The snout too is of an interesting shape, in that it too points outwards, and supports two tusks in males. The female warthog lacks said warts and tusks. The snout is also wide. The warthog is mainly covered with short hairs, but the male sports a large mane on its back. The legs are short for running, and the overall build resembles that of a typical wild pig.
[{{ :warthogwalk.png?nolink&200|//A behind view of a typical warthog boar//.}}]

===== II. WARTHOG BIOLOGY =====
The warthog's main habitat is savannah and woodland, and fills in a niche that no other animal on the savannah does, as a small pig. The warthog is largely herbivorous, mainly feeding on grasses, roots, and other plant matter. However, the warthog may occasionally eat animal material, such as eggs and carrion. Warthogs may also eat dung, be it their own dung, another animal's, or that of another warthog. Warthogs tend to be somewhat placid, and non-territorial - a number of warthogs may live in the same range as each other, and several family ranges may live close by each other. However, the warthog will be protective if faced with a predator, such as a lion or leopard, and will use the tusk in an attempt to fight off the predator. However, as small prey, it's not unheard of for the warthog to fall to such predator. However, the warthog is also a fast runner, and more often than not tries to avoid run-ins with predators whenever possible - the tusks are to be used as a last resort. The warthog boar does not play a role in taking care of the young, only coming in mating season, when the females are in heat. The mother sow will form a group known as a 'sounder' - this group will be made of the female, her young, and several other females, and perhaps their own young as well. The piglets' gestation lasts for about six months before the mother gives birth. Piglets are quick to get on their feet, as they will have to learn to fear predators rather quickly. Warthogs are capable of moderate digging, but will not dig their own burrows - they prefer to find a burrow that is uninhabited, such as an old aardvark burrow, or simply a natural hole in the ground. This will provide a sort of 'home' environment for the warthog, as this is where they sleep every night, escape predation, and bring up piglets.
===== III. CULTURE HOG =====
The warthog plays its part in traditional African artwork, where it appears on objects such as masks. In one story of folklore, a warthog is a saviour to a lion who is caught in a trap. When the lion threatens to eat the warthog's piglet, the warthog asks the lion to show how he got caught. As a result, the lion gets trapped again, and the piglet is saved. The warthog had not appeared too much to the Western world, but would be popularised by 1994's //The Lion King//, where Pumbaa, a warthog, was a major character. Pumbaa's character is dim-witted and silly, and was a friend of meerkat Timon, and helped raise lion Simba. The word 'Pumbaa' is derived from a Swahili word meaning 'silly', reflecting the character of Pumbaa.