| In the past we have looked at the Order, | | | | times you will see that when surprised or scared |
| Perisodactyls. | | | | they run for their burrows backwards first. This is |
| You will now have a look at the other Order, | | | | a defensive move whereby they usually attack |
| Artiodactyls, and learn a few field characteristics | | | | with their teeth with the rest of the body |
| that will enrich your Safari once you are | | | | protected in the hole. |
| ready.This is where we meet the swines and the | | | | The hippopotamus is one of the most interesting |
| hippopotamus. | | | | creatures. An enigma in itself. One of the most |
| In Kenya, the warthog is one of the very | | | | noticeable characteristic is the physical |
| common animals of this order. Others include the | | | | resemblance to the pigs. |
| bush pig, giant forest hogs found in the woodlands | | | | There are two species of hippos in the world, but |
| of Kenya and other African countries. | | | | while on your safari in Kenya you will see one of |
| On many outings on your safari, it is the warthog | | | | them, the common hippopotamus. The dwarf |
| that you will meet mostly in the open savannahs. | | | | hippopotamus is found in the lowland forests of |
| It is one of the amazing creatures especially when | | | | West Africa from Guinea to Ivory Coast. |
| you look at their faces. The warts give them an | | | | Hippos feed at night on land and during the day |
| exaggerated appearance of 'tough' animals. These | | | | they rest in the water. This is the time to digest |
| warts are very prominent on the males. It is the | | | | what they have been eating during the night. |
| only pig adapted for savannah habitats and as | | | | Their 'familiar' honking enriches the day with the |
| such it is the commonly spotted hog. You will see | | | | sounds of the African wilds. All this in their age-old |
| them on hot days wallowing in the shallow waters | | | | natural habitats that man has not yet managed to |
| giving them that muddy look. | | | | destroy, but unfortunately on the way. |
| When feeding, the warthog rests and walks on its | | | | The hippo's jaws are often displayed as a ready |
| calloused carpal joints (wrists or knees). This is a | | | | protection or as a threat to intruders. You must |
| behavior seen only with the warthog that makes | | | | look out for the famous "hippo yawn" during your |
| the skin tough around the knees. This is the | | | | trip and this calls for some patience when you |
| reason why in some old animals this skin has | | | | visit the hippo pools. Usually during the night when |
| flaking looks due to use with time. Where there | | | | feeding, lions and hyenas try their luck on the |
| are seasonal climatic changes, they are seasonal | | | | young calves and this is usually fierce asking for a |
| breeders rutting at the end of the rains. | | | | lot of trouble from the mother. In some cases |
| Usually they give birth to several piglets in a | | | | they succeed but after some fights that can vary |
| burrow under the ground. Unfortunately (or | | | | from mild to fierce. At times, the display of the |
| fortunately) they are preyed upon by a couple of | | | | huge canines is enough to ward of intruders |
| predators including big birds of prey.(one time a | | | | especially during the day when they rest in |
| martial eagle came down like lightning and grabbed | | | | shallow waters. The fact that they are most of |
| a piglet just next to our van as we watched | | | | the times in a group also helps a lot to protect |
| them and the helpless mother had nothing she | | | | their young ones. |
| could do). | | | | On your Safari with the help of the guide you will |
| When threatened by the predators, they seek | | | | be able to interpret more of the behaviors around |
| their underground refuge and usually put up a | | | | the hippos and the warthogs as they appear. |
| defense especially for the piglets. On a couple of | | | | |