Louisville Zoo Welcomes Two Warthogs
Louisville, KY., – Meet Digger and Riggs — two new warthogs that are the newest additions to the Louisville Zoo.
These two one-year-old males like to hang out near the edge of the warthog exhibit near guests and are already gaining fans although they’ve only been on exhibit a few days. Digger and Riggs were born at the Erie Zoo in Pennsylvania.
Unlike other pigs, you may see Digger and Riggs drop down on their wrists to eat and dig up roots with their powerful snouts. In general, warthogs weigh between 100 – 300 pounds and can also at speeds up to 30 mph. They have large warts on the sides of their faces that serve as shock absorbers and their eyes are located high on their foreheads, enabling them to see over a wide expanse of landscape while grazing. Warthogs have keen hearing and an exceptional sense of smell.
Warthogs lack sweat glands, so they often rest in mud wallows during the day to cool their bodies and protect themselves from sunburn and biting insects. At the same time, their bodies become camouflaged by taking on the color of the earth. They are good swimmers. Warthogs are found in most of Africa south of the Sahara. Their habitats are open savannah grasslands and woodlands, and semi-arid bush. Warthogs have been hunted extensively by people for food. They have been eliminated from most of South Africa, but are common in the remaining areas of their range.
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The Louisville Zoo, a nonprofit organization and state zoo of Kentucky, is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation education. The Zoo is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
