King of the Pigs The Warthog

This big guy is a very popular figure, thanks to an animated film which has been among the greatest of our times. But how much do we really know about the warthog?

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If you haven't watched The Lion King and don't know about Pumbaa and his best friend, Timon, you are truly living under a rock, and have been ever since its original release in 1994! Hakuna matata means 'no worries' and Timon & Pumbaa epitomised the Swahili philosophy for us, growing up, in an inimitable manner as only an animated meerkat and warthog can pull off!

Pumba, what a character! A warthog who is gluttonous and helpful, and kind, and lovable. A true companion and a defender of justice. You could credit the real warthog with these attributes, but what is explicitly known is their fearless nature and their intelligence, albeit clumsy personality. Their name does derive from the very simple fact that their face carries warts and they are from the pig family, hogs to be more precise. They have big heads and a thin mane that runs down to the middle of their back and bristle-like hair over their black or brown body, in sparse quantity.

The warthog, also known as the Common Warthog - with subspecies such as Southern, Eritrean, Central and Northern - is the only species of the pig family that has adapted to life in the savannah and the woodlands of Sub Saharan Africa. The way they burrow into the earth, with their feet and snout, shows their skills in the wild.