Warthog

This comical-looking wild pig is a common sight on the African savannah. It can often be seen walking on its knees as it feeds on the ground. Although it looks fierce with its long tusks and warty faces, a warthog would rather trot away with its tail in the air than fight. But if backed in a corner, it can be a fierce opponent. The "warts" on a male warthog's face protect it during battles with other males.

Warthogs travel in groups made up of one or two adult females and their young. Males usually travel alone. These animals have to be wary to survive, since they're a common prey of lions and leopards. They avoid trouble by hiding in burrows dug by other animals, always entering backwards so their sturdy tusks are facing potential enemies.

Warthogs feed on grasses and roots. Their habit of rooting in the ground benefits the savannah by churning up and aerating the soil, aiding plant growth. These wild pigs often have a cooperative relationship with small birds, which sit on the warthogs' backs and eat parasites. This so-called "symbiotic" relationship benefits both the bird, which finds a ready source of food, and the warthog, which gets free of pests.

The warthog is generally common throughout its range, though a subpsecies -- the Eritrean warthog -- is considered endangered.