Red river hog piglets born

The red river hogs at the Alexandria Zoo welcomed new additions to their family on October 22, 2008. All three piglets, two boys and a girl, are healthy and doing well. The first-time mother has taken good care of her young ones and the father has been involved and attentive.

Pigs are the only hoofed mammals to have litters rather than one or two young. Red river hog piglets are born with yellow stripes along the back and sides of the body. As the piglets become less vulnerable and camouflage is no longer important, their stripes will fade.

All five red river hogs are currently on exhibit, so come say hi to little Robert, Leslie, and Whittley the next time you visit the Alexandria Zoo.

ABOUT RED RIVER HOGS
Wild pigs are intelligent, adaptable animals. Members of the pig family, hogs, boars, and babirusa, are omnivorous and characterized by a barrel-shaped body, curiously slender legs, a short neck, and a large head.

Red river hogs are known by their beautiful red hair and long tufts of white hair along the back and on the ears. Also called African bush pigs, these gorgeous hogs live in central and southern Africa. They prefer to live in wet habitats, roaming in forest and swamp areas, and wherever protection from predators is available. The moist, soft ground makes these habitats good places to root around for food.

Just like other pigs, red river hogs love to dig in search of food. Their disk-shaped snout and excellent sense of smell aid in locating and uncovering tasty morsels. These hogs will eat just about anything, from fruits and vegetables to reptiles and birds, even carrion.

Farming has spread throughout their range in Africa, providing good grazing for these pigs and lessening the population of leopards, one of the red river hog’s natural predators. However, hog raids on gardens have led to farmers taking drastic measures to protect their crops, including extermination. Red river hogs are also hunted for the bush meat trade, and while they are not yet endangered their numbers are in decline.

To watch a video about red river hogs, click here.
To learn more about red river hogs click here.