The Red River Hog

Today's Animal of the Day is the Red River Hog. It is a wild pig found in Western and Central Africa, in rainforests and grasslands with dense vegetation. The RRH is distinguishable by its bright red coloration and the white stripe of fur along its spine. They are very social animals, living and traveling together in groups of 10 to 20 comprised of a lead boar, some females and their piglets. Though RRH boars have smaller tusks than most wild pigs, they will defend their family aggressively against predators, the most prominent of which is the leopard. The RRH is completely omnivorous, eating fruits, grasses, insects, lizards, and even carrion. Red River Hog families will sometimes follow underneath groups of monkeys as they move through trees, eating the fruits and scraps that fall to the ground.