A litter of warthog piglets have been born at The Living Desert in California, USA. The two piglets born in late February are on exhibit in Village WaTuTu.
Parents. Squiggy and Leia have been taking good care of their offspring and are very proud parents. Squiggy, who is almost six years old came to the desert from Zoo Atlanta in May 2010. Leia is three years old and these are her first piglets. She arrived from Disney’s Animal Kingdom in January,2013.”
“We’re excited to welcome these adorable piglets to The Living Desert,” said Allen Monroe, President/CEO of The Living Desert. “A typical litter averages two to four piglets, so we’re excited to see if any more emerge from their den. We love seeing our population grow.”
After six months in the womb the infants were born. This is the longest gestation of all the pig species. They remain in the burrow for the first few weeks of life they are unable to maintain a constant body temperature. In the burrow this remains relatively constant.
In 18 months’ time the piglets will be fully grown warthogs.
“The animal department staff is closely observing this development from a safe distance,” added Monroe. “We want to give Leia the space she needs to nurture her new family.”
Warthogs are found in walking distance of water throughout Africa. Their name is derived from the four protrusions on their head that look like warts which protect against predators. Weights vary between 100 and 300lb (45-136kg).
They are known mostly due to Pumbaa from the 1994 Disney film, The Lion King.
Photo Credit: The Living Desert
