Photos from Safari 2023

The second exotic animal that we saw while on safari was a warthog. 

It was difficult to resist the urge to call out, “Pumba!” But seeing a warthog in the wild also served as a great reminder to live with no worries. 

Hakuna matata. 

In all reality, the warthogs were pretty cool.

Did you know:

• Warthogs received their name because of so-called “warts” on their faces. But those “warts” are actually not warts at all. The protuberance found on the warthog’s face is actually made of bone and cartilage. Male warthogs have two pairs of “warts”, while female warthogs have only one pair. 
• While they are adept at digging for themselves, warthogs tend to display the bizarre behavior of living in abandoned burrows that were dug out by other animals, such as aardvarks or porcupines. Warthog families often live together in these burrows, and the last hog in will enter tail-first, as a defense mechanism that would allow them to lunge out and attack any predator who would threaten them.
• The long tusk of a warthog is used primarily for self-defense, but they also have razor sharp teeth. Any predator who messes with a full-grown warthog will not get one easily. Warthogs can run up to 30 mph for a very short distance, and they won’t go down without a fight.
• Young warthogs often fall prey to lions, but fully-grown warthogs will often enjoy living to the ripe age of 15 to 20 years old. A warthog will grow to be fully mature within two years of being born—if they make it that long!
• Warthogs are known for wallowing in mud, but it is not for hygiene purposes. They actually roll around in the mud for two primary reasons. First, the mud coating helps to protect them against parasites. Second, the mud coating helps to protect their skin from the hot, African sun.