Warthog hunting in Botswana

Two species of Warthog occur in Africa, the Desert Warthog and the Common Warthog. There are four subspecies of Common Warthog of which the Southern Warthog is found in Botswana. Warthog distribution in the country declines from east to west and depends on the availability of permanent water sources. These pigs are named after their facial warts. Males have two pairs of warts and the females only have a single pair. Warthog males are hunted for their tusks which are not true ivory but made of dentine, the same as teeth. Warthog venison is also one of the most sought-after venison in Africa. Warthog is listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN but if imported into the USA as raw swine products (not tanned) must be cleared by the USDA-APHIS (United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services).