The Red River Hog (Potamochoerus porcus) is a wild mammal in the pig family.
The Red River Hog has striking orange to reddish-brown fur, with black legs and a tufted white stripe along its spine. It has white markings around its eyes and on its cheeks and jaws. The rest of its muzzle and face are black. Its entire body is covered in hair, with no bare skin visible. It has a thin tail with a tuft of black hair at the tip. It has long, thin ears with hair tufts.
The male has prominent whiskers and small, sharp tusks. Both the male and female have scent glands near their eyes and on their feet.
It measures 55-80 centimetres (22-31 inches) tall, with a length of 100-145 centimetres (39-57 inches). Its tail measures 30-45 centimetres (12-18 inches) long. The male is larger than the female.
The Red River Hog is native to Africa, in countries such as Guinea and the Congo. It prefers rain forests, and to be near rivers and swamps.
It is mainly nocturnal or crepuscular, active at night or at dawn and dusk. It is omnivorous, eating roots and tubers, as well as fruit, grass, herbs, eggs, dead animals, insects, and lizards. It snuffles in the soil in search of food.
The male is called a boar and the female is called a sow.
They typically live in small groups of approximately 6-10 individuals, but sometimes they are seen in larger groups of 30 individuals.
The female Red River Hog is pregnant for about 120 days. She makes a nest from leaves and dry grass before giving birth to a litter of up to six young, called piglets. The piglets are initially dark-brown with yellowish stripes and spots. They are weaned after about 120 days, and develop the plain reddish adult coat of fur by about six months.
They live for about 15 years in the wild.
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM