Warthog

The warthog makes its den either under a rock or in a sheltered burrow, but, more often, it will sleep and breed in abandoned aardvark dens. When the family enters the underground den, the young climb down head first. An adult is always last to enter, and slides in backwards, facing the entrance with its tusks should any predator try to attack. The warthog is renowned for its courage and ferocity in defending its family. The combination of speed (it can run at speed up to 30 miles per hour) and two sets of tusks to fend off most predators. Although it has poor eyesight, it has a good sense of smell and acute hearing. The warthog's only real threat comes from lions and leopards. Adult males, or boars, occasionally fight among themselves, putting on a good show of bravado. With manes bristling, and heads lowered, the boars will push and shove, trying to unbalance their opponent. They can inflict severe wounds with their tusks.

The young are grayish pink in color. They are very sensitive to the cold, so to keep warm, they stay huddled together in the den for the first few days. The mother leaves the den for most of the day, returning periodically to feed the young. After a week, the young venture out of the den for short periods, until they eventually return only at night.