FRESNO CHAFFEE ZOO WELCOMES THREE WARTHOG PIGLETS
Fresno, CA – Even though Mother’s Day has passed, the staff at Fresno Chaffee Zoo are still celebrating for first time parents Zara and Zuko, the Zoo’s warthogs. Zara gave birth on the afternoon of Friday, May 8 to a litter of three piglets – two males and one female.
“The five months that Zara has been pregnant have gone by so quickly,” said zookeeper Leslie Rao. “We have been watching the piglets grow every week through ultrasounds and are so excited about these little additions to the warthog family.”
Zara was born on July 3, 2011 at San Diego Zoo and was donated to Fresno Chaffee Zoo on February 8, 2012. Zuko was born on June 4, 2012 at San Antonio Zoo and arrived at Fresno Chaffee Zoo on February 18, 2013.
Zara and her three piglets are not viewable to the public at this time. They will remain off exhibit for two to three weeks.
“Zara is already proving to be an excellent mom and since mother warthogs can be quite aggressive to male warthogs, Zara will be kept in an enclosure separate from Zuko until the piglets are a little older,” said zoo veterinary technician Denise Oberg. “The offspring appear to be in optimal health and weight. We are excited that they have arrived as they are the first warthogs born at Fresno Chaffee Zoo.”
Warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) are a species of wild pig found in the desert and shrub lands of Africa. They get their name from the fleshy “warts” on the side of their face that are actually protective bumps. They are mainly grazers and also use their large snouts to dig or “root” for bulbs or roots. When startled they can run up to 30 miles an hour. Warthogs usually live in Matriarchal groups that consist of sows and their young and yearlings. Boars play no part in the raising of the young.
