SANParks.org Forums

Warthog babies would eat their mother's droppings so that they can take in the very important rumen bacteria.

Is this bacteria to help them digest their food?

yup it sure is. its like interflora for herbivores. There isnt really any other way for them to charge their guts with the necessary bacteria. i for one am truly grateful to not have to follow that particular method of populating my gut fauna.

I should imagine most babies do this. Foals start doing this within a few days. I think it also helps the digestive system to get going with other things other then milk. At least the food is digested already.

Warthogs breed in the summer rainy seasons in the southern parts of Africa. They could have between 1 to 8 pigets( average being 2-3 piglets) weighing 450-900g each. They are born after a gestation period of 160-170 days. Each piglet is alocated to its own teat and is not allowed to suckle from another.

Noticed on my last visit, no little warthog.
In terms of maximising on droppings, hares might be the most efficient. They use their droppings as vitamin pills. The most cost effective way of recycling nutrition.

I was told by a ranger in Kruger that warthogs drastically reduce reproduction in times of drought, that's apparently the reason for so few babies being spotted in the last few years.

I believe wildebeest do a similar thing.

Most animals do that. Impala can actually hold off giving birth for as long as 14 days should there be a predator threat or such like.....

I kruger this January, CUTE little piglets were roaming around with there mothers every were. I got a few good pics of them!

DID YOU KNOW??
That warthogs were named because of there wart-like markings on there face, there are two of these 'warts' just under there eyes. The 'warts' are used to mark territory, by wiping them on vegitation and other objects in there home range.

This has been the first time I have been to Kruger and no little antennae running through the veldt.
My smallest sighting was a big mamma

I agree with you, I saw extremely few warthog in genaral in August, I'm used to seeing lots!

We stopped for a very long time and watched a lone male. That is not my usual experience. He was not alerted to the needs of his young, so he was just not interested in any potential threat.
I have also never seen the park so dry.

Ar'n't warthog also a favourite food of leopard? I wonder if they are feeling the decline in their food choice?

This weather is freaky, I've never been so cold in October

It would be good to hear from people experienced in patterns in the park.
One of our rangers told us that the predators do well during early drought, as the prey were often weakened by lack of food and water.
This was my worst experience of the park, but maybe I have been lucky in the past.