Bushpig
Taxobox
name = Bushpig
image_caption = A Southern Bush Pig ("P. l. koirpotamu") at the San Diego Zoo
status = LC
status_system = iucn3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Artiodactyla
familia = Suidae
genus = "Potamochoerus"
species = "P. larvatus"
binomial = "Potamochoerus larvatus"
binomial_authority = (F. Cuvier, 1822)The Bushpig ("Potamochoerus larvatus") is a very hairy member of the pig family that lives in forest thickets, riverine vegetation and reedbeds close to water in Africa. They are mainly nocturnal and are seldom seen during the day. The Southern Bush Pig subspecies, "Potamochoerus larvatus koirpotamus" ranges from Ethiopia to Angola and south eastern Africa and is classed as vulnerable.
Bushpigs range in size from 60 to 85cm (24 – 33 in.) at the shoulder and 46 to 82kg (101-180 lbs) in weight. They resemble the domestic pig and are identified by the blunt, muscular snout, small eyes, and pointed, tufted ears. Their colour varies from reddish-brown to dark brown and becomes darker with age. Both sexes have a lighter coloured mane which bristles when the animal becomes agitated. The upper parts of the face and ears are also lighter in colour. Sharp tusks are not very long and are not conspicuous. Unlike the Warthog, the Bushpig runs with its tail down. Males are normally larger than females. The Bushpig should not be confused with the Red River Hog, "Potamochoerus porcus".
Bushpigs are quite social animals and are found in sounders of up to 12 members. A typical group will consist of a dominant male and a dominant female, with other females and juveniles accounting for the rest. Litters of 3-4 young are born in summer after a gestation period of ± 4 months. Bushpigs can be very aggressive, especially when they have young.
They are Omnivorous and their diet could include roots, crops, carrion, as well as newborn lambs. They grunt softly while foraging and make a long, resonant growl as an alarm call.
Still distributed over a relatively wide natural range, the bushpig occurs from Somalia to eastern and southern former Zaire and southwards to Cape Province and Natal in South Africa (Oliver, 1993), having probably been introduced on Madagascar, Comoro and Mayotte Islands (Wilson & Reeder, 1993).
Other uses
Bushpig is also a derogatory term, used in Australia and New Zealand, to describe an uncouth or unattractive woman.
References
*
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
bushpig — noun Date: 1840 a wild usually reddish to black pig (Potamochoerus porcus) of forests and scrubland of sub Saharan Africa and Madagascar that has much facial hair, long pointed ears, and a light colored mane along the top of the neck and back … New Collegiate Dictionary
bushpig — bush pig n. A hog (Potamochoerus porcus) of southern Africa, having long tufts of hair on the face and ears. [Translation of Afrikaans bosvark: bos, bush + vark, pig.] * * * … Universalium
bushpig — ˈ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ noun Etymology: translation of Afrikaans bosvark : an African wild swine (Koiropotamus koiropotamus or Pontamochoerus koiropotamus) having a reddish coat that turns gray with age, white cheek patches, and a white erectile crest … Useful english dictionary
Potamochoerus — Taxobox name = Potamochoerus image caption = Bushpig ( Potamochoerus larvatus ) regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Mammalia superordo = Cetartiodactyla ordo = Artiodactyla familia = Suidae genus = Potamochoerus genus authority = Gray,… … Wikipedia
Suidae — Taxobox name = Suidae image caption = Potamochoerus porcus regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Mammalia ordo = Artiodactyla familia = Suidae familia authority = Gray, 1821 subdivision ranks = Genera subdivision = Babirusas, Babyrousa… … Wikipedia
Sika Deer — Not to be confused with Sitka deer. Sika Deer Male (stag) … Wikipedia
King Snake Roost — Infobox musical artist Name = King Snake Roost Img capt = Landscape = Background = group or band Origin = flagicon|Australia Adelaide / Sydney, Australia Genre = Grunge, Noise rock Years active = 1985 to 1990 Label = Aberrant Records Amphetamine… … Wikipedia
Anoa — Lowland Anoa Conservation status … Wikipedia
Bongo (antelope) — The Bongo redirects here. For other uses, see Bongo (disambiguation). Western/Lowland Bongo Conservation status … Wikipedia
Cattle — Cow redirects here. For other uses, see Cow (disambiguation). For other uses, see Cattle (disambiguation). Cattle … Wikipedia