Nature ReachA ground-level explorer
Meet the warthog and its burrow
Phacochoerus africanus
A warthog may lower itself onto its front legs while feeding. A nearby burrow gives this busy forager somewhere to shelter.
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Grassland and open woodland
Common warthogs live in African savannas, including East Africa. They find food on the ground and use burrows for shelter.
Foraging above ground, sheltering below
Warthogs dig for food and shelter in burrows. When heat or a predator sends them looking for cover, they can back into a burrow to hide.
Three things to notice
- Warthogs kneel on their padded front wrists to feed close to the ground.
- Their facial bumps are thick skin, with no bone or cartilage inside.
- Females often live with their young in groups, while adult males usually live alone.
Hunters and borrowed homes
Prey for lions
A warthog can be hunted by a lion. Running away or retreating into a burrow are ways it may escape danger.
Using old aardvark burrows
Warthogs can shelter in burrows abandoned by aardvarks. A hole dug by one animal becomes useful to another.
Find the warthog in Nature Reach
Open the free savanna map and look for the warthog. Listen together, then ask your child how a burrow helps this animal.
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Reviewed by Nature Reach on 28/09/2026.