Zackary Perino, age 11, of Burlington. Vt., for his question

WHY DO WE CALL A WART HOG BY THAT NAME?

A wart hog is an African pig with large curved tusks that protrude from its huge flattened head Between the tusks and the eyes are three pairs of large "warts" from which the hog gets its name

The hog s tusks may be as much as two feet long

Coarsely grained pale gray hide covers the animal and it is sprinkled with stiff brownish gray hairs A thin mane of long bristly hair hangs over its back and head

A large wart hog may weigh over 200 pounds and it may be about 30 inches high As a wild animal, the wart hog lives in dry,sandy country from southern Africa to Ethiopia It prefers open forest with plenty of thickets for protection The animal travels in small family groups

Old boars however, usually prefer to live by themselves.  The sow may produce as many as six to eight young at a time but ordinarily has about three or four Wart hogs often use burrows that have been made by other animals. They eat almost anything roots plants birds eggs and even small mammals