Over the past few weeks, the bush has taken on a familiar seasonal rhythm as new life continues to flourish. Impala lambs appear almost overnight, with the wildebeest calves soon following. Their numbers and energy often take the limelight as they are around every corner, stealing our hearts with their cuteness. Yet, for me, it is the arrival of warthog piglets that brings the greatest sense of excitement. Hidden from view and born underground in burrows, their story initially is quieter until they show themselves above the surface.
Warthog breeding is perfectly timed to coincide with periods of increased food availability. After a gestation period of around five and a half months, sows give birth at a time when grazing improves, and conditions are more favourable for raising young. Unlike many antelope species that give birth in the open, warthogs rely heavily on secrecy and shelter.
Piglets are born deep inside burrows, most commonly within abandoned termite mounds, utilising the aardvark holes to create their underground chamber. These underground chambers provide a stable, protected environment away from predators and extreme temperatures.
Three piglets rest at the entrance of their burrow with their mother.
Litter sizes are typically generous, with sows often giving birth to three or more piglets at a time. At birth, piglets are small, fragile, and sparsely covered in hair, making them particularly vulnerable during their early days. For the first few weeks of their lives, they remain hidden inside the burrow, relying entirely on their mother for warmth, nourishment, and protection. During this period, the sow is highly cautious, spending long hours nearby and retreating underground at the slightest sign of danger.
As the piglets grow stronger, they begin to emerge cautiously from the burrow, usually following their mother in a tight group. This is often when they are first spotted, trotting behind her with their tails sticking straight up, a behaviour that is both hilarious and practical, helping them keep visual contact in thick vegetation. Despite their undeniable cuteness, life for young warthogs is far from easy. Predators such as lions, leopards, hyenas, and large birds of prey are ever-present threats, and survival depends on vigilance and speed.
One of the most important lessons piglets learn early on is the value of the burrow. At the first sign of danger, they race back underground, diving in headfirst, while the sow often positions herself to defend the entrance if necessary. This reliance on underground shelter is a defining feature of warthog survival and plays a crucial role during the vulnerable early stages of life.
As weeks turn into months, the piglets gradually become more independent, learning to forage and navigate the landscape alongside their mother. By the time the dry season approaches, those that have survived are already well on their way to becoming resilient, adaptable animals in their own right.
Six little Warthog Piglets follow their mother in tight formation
While impala and wildebeest calves may dominate the open plains during this time of year, the warthog piglets, hidden beneath the surface, quietly capture my attention. Their journey from unseen beginnings to bold, mud-covered youngsters is a reminder that some of the most fascinating stories in the bushveld unfold just out of sight, beneath our feet.
Wonderful piglets Patrick! While impala lambs are so beautiful and graceful, those pigs bear a merry attitude and are such a view while trotting all together, tail high, a vision that makes you smile!Little cheerful piglets… I understand that some are caught by predators, nonetheless every season there will be more to cheery up the season ! Thank you for sharing!
Those little piglets are so, so cute!
Hi Patrick, these young piglets are so cute and always playing with each other. Mommy keeps them well kept when born. Thanks for the beautiful images.
Thanks for this nice article on warthogs, Patrick. They are often overlooked a bit and still they are so much fun. These piglets are so cute following their mothers with their tails sticking up.
As you said, they don’t have an easy time with all those predators around.
They’re so ugly they’re so darn cute. I love warthogs – all those bumps, scraggly hairs, tusks and tempers. They’re really are such characters.
Warthogs rock.
I love that you shared an article about the often overlooked Warthogs. There is something about watching the piglets following their mother, tails raises like a flag, that just makes me smile – they are just so cute.
Patrick, thanks for the great shots and we hope you had a great Christmas! It’s always fun to see the little ones following their mothers!
I love the warthogs! And oh what a treat to see these excellent photos and hear your descriptions of the wonderful piglets starting life underground. Hurray for the warthogs!
Dear Patrick, nice story about animals around leopards. And so cool pics of the cute young warthogs.