Pig Bath

You can never see it all, every time we leave the lodge on a drive; we know that we could see something new. Well for the first time in eight years of guiding I saw a female warthog grooming one of her youngsters. As average as this may sound, it was amazing to see. I have read that this is normal behavior but that doesn’t make it a common sight. As we drove past a clearing we noticed a family of warthogs feeding, when all of a sudden, one of the youngsters began to irritate the large female and appeared to be begging. Suddenly the youngster lay down in front of the female and rolled over onto its back. Mother gently began to lick and nose rub the youngster all over its belly and sides. What a great sighting. Whoever said that pigs don’t bath?

Posted: &BEYOND Exeter Lodges by Craig Paulsen, Date: 6 July 2008