Wart hog - Iboinoshishi (English spelling) wart hog

It is a member of the Mammalia class, Order Artiodactyla, Family Suidae. It inhabits the savannas from Senegal to Somalia, and from eastern to southern Africa. Its head and body length is 1-1.9 meters, its height is 65-85 centimeters, and its weight is 50-150 kilograms. Its body is barrel-shaped with short limbs and a large, flat head. Its tail is about 20 centimeters long and thin, with a tuft of hair at the tip. It has a mane of long, stiff hairs growing from its neck to its back, but the hair on other parts of its body is sparse. It has wart-like protrusions under its eyes and behind its canines. Its canines are long and curl upwards, serving as weapons against predators. It is diurnal, and lives alone, in pairs, or in family groups. Because their necks are very short, they fold their front legs and kneel, using their long heads connected to their sturdy necks to dig up the ground and eat grass, roots, insects, carrion, etc. They often use old aardvark nests as dens. They give birth to 2-8 pups per litter. The pups live with their parents for a year.

[Mitsuko Masui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

哺乳(ほにゅう)綱偶蹄(ぐうてい)目イノシシ科の動物。セネガルからソマリア、アフリカ東部から南部に至るまでのサバンナに生息する。頭胴長1～1.9メートル、体高65～85センチメートル、体重50～150キログラム。体形は樽(たる)形で四肢は短く、頭部は大きくて平たい。尾は20センチメートルほどで細く先端に房毛がある。頸部(けいぶ)から背にかけて長い剛毛がたてがみ状に生えるが、他の部分の体毛はまばらである。目の下および犬歯の後方にいぼ状の突起がある。犬歯は長大で上方に大きく巻き上がり、外敵に対し武器となる。昼行性で、単独、つがい、家族群で暮らす。頸(くび)がたいへん短いため、前足を折り膝(ひざ)をついた姿勢で、頑丈な頸に続く長い頭を使って地面を掘り返し、草、木の根、昆虫、腐肉などを食べる。ツチブタの古巣を巣穴として利用することが多い。1産2～8子。子は1年間親とともに暮らす。

［増井光子］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例