Tickets
Area of zoo
Pink Zone
Enclosure status
Open
IUCN status
Least Concern
Scientific name
Phacochoerus africanus
Order
Cetartiodactyla
Type
Mammals
Family
Suidae
Region
Southern Africa
Habitat
Grassy plains and open woodland

Warthog facts

  • They use natural holes or those left by aardvarks to hide in. Going in backwards ensures that their tusks are first out to defend themselves.
  • When times are tough they can go up to several months without water; however they preferably spend the majority of their time grazing and wallowing in mud to relieve themselves from the constant irritation of insects. Often birds will help them with this battle sitting on their backs and feeding off.

Land of the lions

What do warthogs look like?

These wild pigs have four sharp tusks, two upper that are large and curved and two lower and sharper that they use to dig up roots and bulbs. They have sparse hair in patchy tufts but are largely bald. Both males and females have ‘warts’ that are protective bumps on their faces giving them their name. Males have bigger ‘warts’ to cushion blows during fights with other males.

What do warthogs eat?

Grasses, roots, fruits, bulbs and carrion

Meet the meerkats

Warthog threats

They are hunted for food by humans, crocodiles and big cats. They can jump over two metres into the air trying to avoid danger.

Animal experiences at London Zoo

Make unforgettable memories in the heart of one of the world’s most vibrant capital cities, from feeding penguins, meeting monkeys or coming face-to-face with the world's tallest animal! 

Animal experiences

Facts about our African animals

  • Pygmy hippo at London zoo
    Choeropsis liberiensis

    Pygmy hippo

    There are less than 2500 pygmy hippos left in the wild, and they are the only surviving member of their genus.

  • Giraffes in their indoor and outdoor enclosures at London Zoo
    Giraffa camelopardalis

    Giraffe

    Giraffes have the same number of neck bones as humans – although theirs are linked by ball and socket joints enabling them far greater flexibility. 

  • A Chapman's zebra at London Zoo
    Equus quagga

    Chapman's zebra

    With some of the most famously patterned coats in the world, no two zebras ever have the same stripe pattern, and Chapman's zebras have faint brown stripes between their black stripes. 

  • Gorilla eating at London Zoo
    Gorilla gorilla gorilla

    Western lowland gorilla

    Gorillas are the world's largest primate, weighing up to 200kg. They share 98.4% of their DNA with humans, and all four gorilla subspecies are critically endangered.

  • Waldrapp ibis at London zoo
    Geronticus eremita

    Waldrapp ibis

    There are only around 250 of these birds left in the wild, spread thinly across many countries.

  • Three yellow mongoose at London Zoo
    Cynictis penicillata

    Yellow mongoose

    These mongoose can be found cohabiting with meerkats and ground squirrels across southern Africa.

  • A colobus monkey holding onto a tree in Monkey Valley
    Eastern black-and-white colobus

    Eastern black-and-white colobus

    Discover incredible facts about our Eastern black-and-white colobus monkeys.