Bushpig

Bushpig - Potamochoerus porcus

	Boar	Sow
Mass (adult)	± 46 - 82 kg	± 48 to 66 kg
Shoulder height	± 75 cm	± 75 cm
Life expectancy	± 20 years	± 20 years

Identification
	The Bushpig resembles the domestic pig. It is predominantly brown with a mane of lighter hair. The young have horizontal white stripes on their bodies. The male is usually heavier than the female.

Habitat
	It lives in thick shelter and water is essential. It prefers coastal, mountainous and riverine forests, thickets, reed patches and tall grass near water. It is found only under these conditions, even in dry country.
Habits
	Bushpig live in groups of 7 animals (even up to 12), consisting of a dominant male, dominant female, other females and young. Groups with young are very aggressive. It is mainly nocturnal, but diurnal in areas where it is protected. It forages at night, tramping out footpaths. It digs in the soil just like warthogs and likes to wallow in the mud to cool down.
Food
	It digs in soft soil for rhizomes, bulbs and tubers. It also eats earthworms, vegetables, chickens, leaves and wild fruit that have fallen.
Vocalisation
	It groans while eating. The alarm call is a long protracted growl.
Breeding
	3 to 8 young are born from November to January after a gestation period of ± 4 months. The female has 3 pairs of abdominal mammae.