WART HOG OR VLACKTE-VARK 



bold enough to enter. When brought to bay in 

 the open the Wart Hog fights boldly. We cornered 

 an old boar one day in a blind donga. He charged 

 at the dogs, threw two high into the air, and in 

 rushing past a burly native gashed his leg horribly. 

 On another occasion, a Zulu in endeavouring to 

 spear a boar slipped and partly fell, and before he 

 could recover himsielf the pig ripped open his 

 abdonaen. Another was seriously wounded by 

 foolishly approaching a shallow hole in which the 

 pig was hiding. It came out with a rush, and, in 

 passing, seriously wounded the native with a power- 

 ful swing of its tusk. The sow will turn and fight 

 bravely in defence of her young. One day a sow 

 and four young ones were startled from cover, and 

 a dog gave chase. Whenever the young pigs lagged 

 behind the sow stopped and dashed at the dog, 

 chasing it some little distance before rejoining her 

 family. When hard pressed, the youngsters en- 

 ' deavour to conceal themselves by crouching in the 

 grass or undergrowth. 



Major Stevenson-Hamilton relates an instance of 

 having seen a female Wart Hog charge an adult 

 male Leopard which had attempted to carry off 

 one of her litter. The Leopard fled, closely pursued 

 for about thirty yards, and then sprang into a 

 tree, spitting and snarling, but showing no inclination 

 to descend. 



Lions and Leopards prey largely on Wart Hogs, 

 attacking them from the rear to avoid contact 



175 



