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Red river hog

Potamochoerus porcus

Red river hog at Paignton Zoo
IUCN Conservation Status –
Least Concern
Extinct In The Wild
Class: Mammals
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Suidae

Our pair of red river hogs, Winnie and Humphrey, live opposite the giraffes.

Red river hogs are members of the wild pig family that are native to a variety of habitats across central and western Africa.

These mammals have an omnivorous diet, eating roots, fruit, grasses and insects.

Interesting facts!

  • The hog’s sizeable muzzle helps them to snuffle in the soil for food.
  • They exist in small groups made up of one dominant male, some adult females and their young.
  • After a pregnancy of around 120 days, a female red river hog will give birth to a litter of 3 or 4 piglets.

Conservation

Hunting for the bushmeat trade is the most significant threat to wild red river hogs. The hogs can also sometimes damage agricultural areas in search of food, leading to their persecution.