
The warthog, with 2 large upper tusks and 2 sharp lower canines, sleep in and flee to burrows, and back in bum first so they can guard the entrance with their tusks.
While they were made famous by the Lion King and given a name that means ‘stupid and foolish’ in Swahili- they aren’t foolish at all. These intelligent and highly adaptive creatures will change the time of their eating patterns if they assess that there is too much risk in areas during day/night; can last months without water, though will flock to water and enjoy a mud bath for a cooling session; and they live in all sorts of terrain, woodland, savannah and grasslands. Their solid adaptability makes them a resilient species with a high survival rate, with healthy population numbers around the continent- although it may not save them from the human and his/her gun while they continue to be targets of trophy hunting.
Generally flighty, they prefer to run away from danger than to fight, and can usually be seen dashing about with their tails held high like little waving flags, signals for others to follow them and/or that there is danger about. These ones saw no danger here, however, and were happily grunting and grazing on the green grass surrounding Lake Nakuru on one fine day.