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A New Pig For TsavoA new pig for By James Culverwell, Jim Feely, be Africa’s least-known, non-forest, Uganda and Kenya). Their find- Sheila Bell-Cross, Yvonne A. de large mammal. The morphological ings were summarized in 2002 by Jong and Thomas M. Butynski differences between the two species Boy in Swara 25—1: 20-21. The of warthog are described by Grubb authors found the desert warthog here are only two spe- (1993) and by d’Huart & Grubb to occur from Puntland (northern cies of warthog, and (2005). The most diagnostic and Somalia) southwestward through both occur in Kenya; noticeable characteristics for both Somalia and southeastern Ethio- the common warthog species are summarized in Box 1. pia to central and eastern Kenya. Phacochoerus afri- d’Huart & Grubb (2001) The only sites shown on the map canus and the desert compiled a map depicting the for Kenya were Moyale, El Wak, Twarthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus. geographical range of both the Merelle (‘midway between Arch- Little is known about the natural common warthog and the desert er’s Post and Mt Marsabit’), and history of the desert warthog—in- warthog in the Horn of Africa (Er- Mkokoni (in the Kiunga Ma- deed, the desert warthog might well itrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Ethiopia, rine Reserve). The southernmost How to most readily differentiate the desert warthog from the common warthog in the field (d’Huart & Grubb 2005). See Figures 1 and 2. 1. Warts—Adult desert warthog has a hook- shaped wart under the eye. Adult common warthog has a cone-shaped wart under the eye. 2. Ears—Ear tips of desert warthog are bent backwards. Ear tips of common warthog are erect. 3. Suborbital area—Suborbital area (ie, under the eye) appears swollen in adult desert warthog. In adult common warthog this swelling is absent. 4. Head—Head of desert warthog is ‘egg- shaped’ when viewed from the front. Head of common warthog is slightly ‘diabolo- shaped’ when viewed from the front. Figure 1. Adult male common warthog Phacochoerus africanus on the open plains of the Laikipia Plateau, central Kenya. Note the cone shaped warts, pointed ears, and the diabolo- shaped head. Photograph by T. M. Butynski & Y. A. de Jong. Figure 2. Adult male desert warthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus in medium dense shrub in Tsavo West National Park, southeast Kenya. Note the flipped-back ears, hooked warts, the broad, egg-shaped head, and the swollen suborbital area (area under the eyes). Photograph by T. M. Butynski & Y. A. de Jong. 50 SWARA July – September 2008 FINDINGS Figure 3. Desert warthog warthog sympatric? How far south for more photographs to be taken. Phacochoerus aethiopicus and does the desert warthog occur? What struck JC, JF and SBC im- common warthog Phacochoerus On 7 June 2007, JC, JF and mediately during these encounters africanus localities in Tsavo East SBC traversed Tsavo East Na- was the overall shape of the ani- National Park and Tsavo West tional Park. Briefed a few days mals’ heads, the hooked warts, and National Park, southeast Kenya. earlier about desert warthog char- the flipped-back tip of the ears (see acteristics by TMB and YDJ, they Box 1), all of which are diagnos- record for Kenya was from the travelled through the high-density tic, easily-seen field characters of Kiunga Marine Reserve, about 60 tourism areas south of the Voi the desert warthog. During this kilometres northeast of Lamu. All River, far to the southwest of the trip, no common warthogs were records were from north of the nearest confirmed desert warthog seen. All photographs were sent to Ewaso Ng’iro River and east of the locations. Late that afternoon they experts for confirmation. Some of Tana River. They speculated that were startled to find two adult these, together with some of our the two species would be found desert warthogs in low scrub on other warthog photographs, are to overlap in some parts of their the edge of the Dika Plains, just available on a digital map at www. range, but found no evidence for 13 kilometres north of Buchuma tinyurl.com/warthogMap. this; their data show the shortest Gate, and managed to take a few distance between common warth- photographs before the warthogs n July 2007, JC returned briefly og and desert warthog records as turned tail. They had just recorded to Tsavo East National Park 25 kilometres (in Puntland). a new large mammal species for Ifor two days. He observed two During a primate survey in Tsavo East National Park, and a sounders of desert warthogs—each 2005, TMB and YDJ encountered major range extension of over 300 of four animals—in open shrub- two solitary desert warthogs, 15 kilometres for the desert warthog! land north and south of the Voi and 80 kilometres southwest of The next day they returned River in the vicinity of Satao Safari Garissa respectively, in medium to the area and located four more Camp. Once again, no common dense acacia bushland. These en- desert warthogs only nine kilo- warthogs were seen. counters are important, as they are metres from the Kenya Wildlife In October 2007, JC visited the first records of desert warthog Service headquarters at Voi; one Tsavo West National Park for two west of the Tana River. Two ques- adult and three subadults stood days, where desert warthogs were tions remained, however. Are their ground long enough for posi- found to be fairly common around the desert warthog and common tive identification to be made and Severin Safari Camp and Kitani SWARA July – September 2008 51 The East African Wild Life Society’s Safari Lodge, just to the north areas where desert warthogs were References of the Tsavo River. Three desert seen during the earlier trip by JC). • Boy, G. 2002. The whole hog. warthogs were seen feeding in an About six kilometres of Finch Hat- Swara 25 (1): 20-21. 2009 CALENDARS open area along a major tourism ton’s Camp, in low bush on the • D’Huart, J. & Grubb, P. 2001. Dis- circuit, permitting lengthy obser- edge of riverine forest, one group tribution of the common warthog vation. One of these animals was of desert warthogs (one adult male (Phacochoerus africanus) and the desert warthog (Phacochoerus a subadult male. Subadult desert and three subadults) was encoun- warthogs, like adults, have ears aethiopicus). African Journal of tered only 150 metres from six Ecology 39: 156-169. that are flipped-back at the tips, common warthogs. This sight- • Grubb, P. 1993. The Afrotropical and broader-based genal warts, al- ing is not only the farthest range suids Phacochoerus, Hylochoerus, lowing them to be differentiated in extension for desert warthog (390 and Potamochoerus: taxonomy the field from common warthogs kilometres) from Mikoni, the and description. In: Pigs, Peccaries despite them lacking the hooked most southern record of d’Huart and Hippos. Status Survey and warts of adult male desert warth- & Grubb, but it is also the first Conservation Action Plan (ed. W. I. R. Oliver). IUCN/SSC, Gland, ogs. During this visit JC also found evidence that the two species of Switzerland common warthogs in Tsavo West warthogs are sympatric. • iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/pphsg/ National Park only a few hundred Finding desert warthog in Contents.htm metres from where he observed Tsavo, and finding them sympatric • D’Huart, J. & Grubb, P. 2005. A desert warthogs. with common warthog, is excit- photographic guide to the differenc- In April, 2008, TMB and YDJ ing news for the species and for es between the common warthog visited Tsavo West National Park Kenya. Tsavo West National Park (Phacochoerus africanus) and the for three days, and encountered and Tsavo East National Park can desert warthog (Ph. aethiopicus). Suiform Soundings 5 (2): 4-8 common warthogs around Kilagu- add one more species to their list ni Serena Safari Lodge, Komboyo • iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/pphsg/ of large mammals. What further Suiform%20soundings/Newslet- Camp, Kitani Safari Lodge and surprises can we expect from this ter%205(2)pdf Severin Safari Camp (including long-overlooked pig? Have you seen warthogs in Africa? To better understand the distribution of Africa’s warthogs, we would like to know if you have seen desert warthogs Desk Calendar - retail or common warthogs in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Wall Calendar - retail Member Non-Member Extra fee for Member Non-Member Extra fee for Djibouti, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya or Retail Prices Retail Prices Postage Retail Prices Retail Prices Postage Tanzania. Details and/or a photograph of Ksh 250 Ksh 270 - Ksh 300 Ksh 350 - US$ 5.00 US$ 5.80 your record would be highly appreciated. US$ 3.40 US$ 5.00 US$ 5.80 US$ 6.30 UK£ 2.50 UK£ 3.00 UK£ 2.00 UK£ 3.0 UK£ 3.20 UK£ 3.40 3.20 4.00 The following information is most € € 3.50 € 2.70 € € 4.60 € 4.90 important • date of sighting species March 2009 • Su Mo Tu We Fr Sa • name of nearest village or town 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 • latitude and longitude 8 9 UG 10 11 12 13 14 • elevation 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 habitat 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 • 29 30 31 FEBRUARY 2009 APRIL 2009 Su Mo Tu We Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Fr Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 Please send your information and/or 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 FEBRUARY 2009 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 SUNDAY MONDA photograph to: Y TUESDAY WEDNESDA Y THURSDAY FRIDA 26 27 28 29 30 YSATURDAY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Yvonne de Jong Elephants in the Mara headed APRIL 2009 for a sun downer of their own SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Janu 8 9 PO Box 149 ary 2009 10 MAY 2009 11 12 13 Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su 14 31 1 2 1 2 3 4 Mo Tu 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 We 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Fr Sa 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Nanyuki 10400,
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