Warthog hunting in Ethiopia

Warthogs are among Africa’s most comical animals, famously portrayed by Pumba in Disney’s The Lion King. Their name comes from the wart-like protrusions on the sides of their heads, with males sporting two pairs and females having a single pair. In Ethiopia, two subspecies of Warthog are located in the country, the Eritrean Warthog in the north and the Nolan Warthog in the central and southern regions. Warthogs are drawn to water for drinking and wallowing, providing excellent hunting opportunities. Their meat is highly prized, making them a sought-after table venison. Both sexes possess razor-sharp tusks, worn down from constant meshing during feeding. The largest tusks are usually found in areas with sandy soils, where warthogs use their tusks as digging tools for roots. In rocky areas, tusks may be more worn or broken due to the challenging terrain. Classified as a species of least concern by the IUCN, no special hunting permits are required. However, Warthog trophies exported to the USA must comply with USDA trophy import regulations.