New Wildlife Reserve is Big Win for Endangered Bonobos

8 African Wildlife News www.awf.orgMark Boulton/ICCEWildlife WATCHAmong nature’s mostunique looking mammals,Africa’s warthog has an enormoustusked head that comprises one-sixthof its body length.Is Africa’s warthog related to our domesticpig? Absolutely. Both belong to the FamilySuidae—as do the wild boar and forest hog, toname a few more members of the swine family.Among nature’s most unique lookingmammals, Africa’s warthog (Phacochoerusaethiopicus) has an enormous tusked head thatcomprises one-sixth of its body length.Warthogs also have some of the longest legs inthe pig family. The animal’s namesake“warts”—more developed in males—areactually thick protective pads that grow onboth sides of the head. These warts may helpprotect the animal’s eyes from an opponent’ssharp curved tusks when they clash in fightsthat can be violent between males.Found throughout most of sub-SaharanAfrica, warthogs are mainly grass grazers, butuse their snouts and tusks to dig for tubers androots during the dry season. They haveAfrican Warthogadapted an interesting and humorous-lookingpractice of kneeling on their calloused hairypadded knees to eat shorter grasses.But warthogs can also move quickly.They run up to 30 miles per hour, and whenthey do, they carry their tails upright, the tipwaving like a flag. Young warthogs trot alongin single file, and the characteristic tailposition may serve as a signal to keep themtogether. Seen against an African horizon, aline of trotting warthogs creates anunmistakable profile.Widely hunted by people, the warthog’schief predators in nature are lions and leopards.To protect itself, a warthog will either flee orslide backwards into a hole, where it uses itsformidable tusks to ward off an attack. ■Visit our website at www.awf.org/wildlife to learn more aboutAfrica’s warthog. To help protect one or more warthogs—as a giftto yourself, family member, or friend—visit AWF’s Wildlife AdoptionCenter at www.shop.awf.org/adopt, or phone toll-free 1-800-901-2779.Make AWF’s WildlifeAdoption Center YourFirst Stop forValentine’s DayThis Valentine’s Day, find a littlemore space in your heart forAfrican wildlife. Visit AWF’s onlineWildlife Adoption Center to protectyour own favorite animal, or find ameaningful gift for family, friends, evencolleagues who share your interest inAfrican conservation. At AWF’sWildlife Adoption Center, you canselect an individual animal for $25 oran entire group for $75. Choose fromamong mountain gorillas, elephants,lions, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, andwarthogs. Indeed, Valentine’s Day is theperfect time to remember that whilesome animals like the warthog (see storyat left) may have a face only a mothercould love, they still need help fromspecial friends like you.Whichever animal you choose—for Valentine’s Day, birthdays,anniversaries, graduations, or otherspecial events--you or your gift recipientwill receive a plush toy, representing thespecies you have chosen; a personalizedAWF Certificate of Adoption; a photoand fact sheet of your adopted animal;and a one-year membership in AWF,including a subscription to our quarterlynewsletter, African Wildlife News.AWF’s Wildlife Adoption Centeris fast and easy to use! Visit us online atshop.awf.org/adopt, or phone toll-free1-800-901-2779. ■Here’s My Special Additional Contribution!YES, I can see that my membership contributions are being put to gooduse—and to honor 45 years of AWF conservation accomplishments, Iwant to do even more to help Africa’s wildlife. Please use the enclosedtax-deductible donation where it is most urgently needed:■ $25 ■ $50 ■ $75 ■ $100 ■ $500 ■ $_____DONATE WITHCONFIDENCETODAY!Crait R. SholleyNAMEADDRESSCITY STATE ZIPPHONE■Please send me information about...___including AWF in my will.___gifts that pay me income for life.___I have already included AWF inmy estate plans.Please visit our website at www.awf.org.E-MAIL ADDRESS■Please send me your online newsletter,AWF Africa News Online, so I canreceive special updates on breakingnews affecting the wildlife and wildlands of Africa.Thank you! Please detach this form and return it with your tax-deductiblegift in the enclosed envelope to: African Wildlife Foundation,1400 Sixteenth Street, N.W., Suite 120, Washington, D.C. 20036.If you have questions, call us at 1-888-494-5354. Or, e-mail us atAfricanwildlife@awf.org.A073