Red River Hog

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*This page is under renovation and all information may not be up-to-date or complete*

Description

Red river hogs are the smallest of six pig species native to Africa. They have reddish-brown hair, pointed ears with tufts of hair at the tips, and a white mane running down their spine.

Male red river hogs have two well-developed warts on their snout. The warts function to protect males from tusk damage during fights for dominance with other males.

Range & Habitat

Red river hogs live in western and central Africa (from Senegal to the Democratic Republic of Congo) in rainforests, wet savannas, forested valleys, and near slow water ways.

Behavior

Red river hogs live in groups called sounders which include one boar (adult male), several sows (females), and juveniles. Both parents participate in raising young, with sows

Hiding in dense bushes during the day, red river hogs are primarily active at night. However, in areas with few predators, red river hogs can be seen grazing during the day.

Red river hogs mark their territory by scraping tree trunks with their tusks and using foot, neck, and preorbital glands to scent mark.

Diet

Red river hogs are omnivorous. They eat roots, tubers, fungi, grass, fruit, herbs, eggs, insects, lizards, and even carrion. This species can also be considered an agricultural pest in areas where they overlap with farmlands.

At the Zoo they eat …

Conservation

Red river hogs are common throughout their natural range and have withstood habitat changes quite well, benefitting from decreases in predator populations. However, humans pose one of the greatest threats to this species, because they are hunted for subsistence, especially in areas with increasing human population growth.

Fun Facts

• Red river hogs fluff out their face hair when threatened. Males fight by butting heats and whipping each other with their tails.
• Red river hogs may follow groups of chimpanzees, eating fallen fruit they drop from the trees. Occasionally, red river hogs will eat elephant feces to access undigested  Balanites wilsoniana seeds.
• Another name for the red river hog is “tufted pig”.

Virginia Zoo Animals

Females: Mrembo (Remy) & Tikiti (Tiki) (born: April 2017)