Name
Bushpig [Potamochoerus larvatus]Description
Bushpigs are nocturnal and can be very dangerous, as they use their sharp tusks when threatened. Their numbers have increased in areas where predators have been taken out and where hunting does not occur. They feed on a range of foods from roots and seeds to insects, eggs and carrion. Bushpigs are also renowned for their crop raiding abilities.
Vital Statistics
- Weight (Female)
- 48 - 66 kg
- Weight (Male)
- 46 - 82 kg
- Length (Female)
- 115 cm
- Length (Male)
- 115 cm
- Gestation Period
- 4 months
- No of Young
- 3 - 8
- Birth Weight
- 700 g
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Suidae
Breeding
3 - 8 young are born from November - January after a gestation period of ± 4 months.
Spoor Description
Hoofs are broader than those of the Warthog's, and the dew claws usually mark clearly in the spoor. Its broader hooves are better adapted to the type of terrain where it usually feeds. The animals make continued use of the same routes to feeding areas, thereby forming narrow, clearly marked paths.
