Red river hog Potamochoerus porcus
The red river hog is undoubtedly most beautiful of all pigs. It has strong, rather slim body with the length 100 to 150 cm (the height at the shoulders ranges from 56 to 80 cm, the weight is about 80 kg), and has striking bright red fur. The tusks are much shorter than those of the warthogs, reaching 15 cm in length and the tops of the ears are decorated with funny tufts of long light-coloured hair. The skin is covered with thin, soft, and very dense bristles that are longer on the sides of the head, and underside of the neck; the bristles form a short and thin crest on the back of the animal. The red river hog features tufts of hair under the eyes, dense mutton chops, on the cheeks, and thick tuft on the tail that is otherwise almost naked. The red river hogs are typically associated with dense forests and marshy areas, usually staying close to water reservoirs which trait is perfectly reflected in their name. They can run really fast, moving swiftly and skillfully, and are good swimmers. These pigs live in groups with sizes ranging from 4 to 20 to 100 individuals. They are nocturnal, spending daytime in the burrows that they dig for themselves. The female babirusa gives birth to one or two litters a year. The litter sizes range from 3 to 6 babies that have visible light stripes on their fur. Females and males raise their offspring together. Young red river hogs are weaned at the age of two to fours months, and reach sexual maturity by the age of three years.
