Phacochoerus

Phacochoerus is a small genus of African wild pigs in the family Suidae, comprising two living species: the common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and the desert warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus). The name and distinctive facial warts give these animals their common name, which also refers to their prominent tusks.

Warthogs are stout, short-legged herbivores with a large head, a sparse mane along the spine, and a mostly bare, bristly coat. Both sexes possess large tusks that curve upward and outward, used for defense and for digging for roots and tubers. They have sparsely distributed body hair, a long tail with a tuft at the end, and a pouch-like throat that helps in feeding.

Geographically, Phacochoerus species occur across sub-Saharan Africa. The common warthog favors savannas and light woodlands, often near water, while the desert warthog inhabits drier, more arid zones in East Africa. They frequently use burrows—abandoned aardvark burrows or holes they dig themselves—to hide from heat and predators.

Diet is omnivorous but relies heavily on grasses; they also eat tubers, roots, berries, and insects when available. They are usually diurnal in cooler periods and retreat to burrows during peak heat, emerging to graze at dawn and dusk. Social groups, or sounders, are typically composed of related females and their offspring; adult males are often solitary or form bachelor groups.

Reproduction occurs year-round in many areas. After a gestation of about five to six months, females give birth to litters of several piglets, which stay close to their mother in the cover of burrows for several weeks. Phacochoerus species are listed as Least Concern due to their wide distribution and population stability.