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Neither graceful nor beautiful


Neither graceful nor beautiful
Photo Information
Copyright: Anna Eksteen (Miss_Piggy) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2285 W: 5 N: 5300] (18714)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2011-10-03
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC HX1, Sony G lens 20x Optical zoom, Digital ISO 125
Exposure: f/4, 1/250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2014-01-11 21:33
Viewed: 3736
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 54
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Warthog / Phacochoerus aethiopicus

This photograph was taken on a very cloudy morning in the Addo Elephant National Park while being on our annual holiday in the lovely Cape Province in 2011. We respect nature in every possible way and take pleasure in and appreciate each day given to us in nature, and this particular holiday was an unbelievable experience to both Loot and me.

At the time, the park was overflowing with wildflowers and to see all the animals in this colourful environment was so great, as it gave us loads of photographic opportunities. At times I felt that the animals were posing for us knowing that the flowers are an ideal setting for a backdrop. We thoroughly enjoyed the Addo Elephant National Park.

Neither graceful nor beautiful, warthogs are nonetheless remarkable animals. They are found in most of Africa south of the Sahara and are widely distributed in East Africa. They are the only pigs able to live in areas without water for several months of the year. By tolerating a higher-than-normal body temperature, the warthog is perhaps able to conserve moisture inside its body that might otherwise be used for cooling. Camels and desert gazelles have developed a similar mechanism for survival in hot, arid environments.

Physical Characteristics
Males weigh more than females, but both are distinguished by disproportionately large heads and the warts-thick protective-pads that appear on both sides of the head. Two large pairs of warts occur below the eyes, and between the eyes and the tusks, and a very small pair is found near the jaw (usually just in males).

The face is fairly flat and the snout elongated. Eyes set high on the head enables the warthog to keep a lookout for predators even when it lowers its head to feed on short grass. Their large tusks are unusual: The two upper ones emerge from the sides of the snout to form a semicircle; the lower tusks at the base of the uppers are worn to a sharp cutting edge.

Sparse bristles cover the warthog's body, although longer bristles form a mane from the top of the head down the spine to the middle of the back. The skin is grey or black (or yellowish or reddish, if the warthog has been wallowing in mud). The long tail ends with a tuft of bristles. The warthog characteristically carries its tail upright when it runs, the tuft waving like a tiny flag. As the young run in single file, the tail position may serve as a signal to keep them all together. They trot with a springy gait but they are known to run surprisingly fast.

Habitat
They are found in moist and arid savannas and avoid rainforest, deserts and high mountains.

Behaviour
When water is available, they drink regularly and enjoy wallowing in muddy places. As part of their grooming they also take sand baths, rub against trees and termite mounds and let tick birds pick insects off their bodies.

They live in family groups of a female and her young. Sometimes another female will join the group. Males normally live by themselves, only joining the groups to mate. Warthogs engage in ritual fights in which they charge straight on, clashing heads when they meet. Fights between males can be violent and bloody.

They sleep and rest in holes, which at times they line with grass, perhaps to make them warmer. Although they can excavate, warthogs normally do not dig holes but use those dug by other animals, preferably aardvarks.

Diet
The warthog is mainly a grazer and has adapted an interesting practice of kneeling on its calloused, hairy, padded knees to eat short grass. Using its snout and tusks, it also digs for bulbs, tubers and roots during the dry season.

Caring for the Young
Before giving birth to a new litter, the female chases away the litter she has been raising and secludes herself. These juveniles may join up with another solitary female for a short time before they go on their own.

Females only have four teats, so litter sizes usually are confined to four young. Each piglet has its "own" teat and suckles exclusively from it. Even if one piglet dies, the others do not suckle from the available teat. Although the young are suckled for about 4 months, after 2 months they get most of their nourishment from grazing.

Predators
Lions and leopards are their chief enemies. They protect themselves from predators by fleeing or sliding backwards into a hole, thus being in a position to use their formidable tusks in an attack.

Did you know?
They have poor vision (though better than most other African wild pigs), but its senses of smell and hearing are good. When alarmed, they grunt or snort, lower their mane, flatten their ears and bolts for underground cover. Source

I hope you enjoy looking at this photo as much as I took pleasure in taking it.
kinglove, Hotelcalifornia, ramthakur, samiran88, iti, Hussain58, imageme, anel, CeltickRanger, uduputuk, KOMSIS, waylim has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Anna,
A remarkable detailed view of the Warthog. The cloudy conditions were indeed a blessing this day as there are no lights or darks that would have fought with one another in the overall exposure.
Beautiful capture...
Steven

Hello Anna,
照的清晰 很嚇人的山豬 它的獠牙很奇特 不過很好看
光線亮麗 整體都照的很清楚 整個畫面的色彩非常飽滿
真的很漂亮 也非常的纖細 令人激賞
構圖美麗 背景深遂
謝謝分享
STONE

Ciao Anna, great capture of interesting creature in nice pose, beautiful ambientation, fine details, wonderful colors and splendid sharpness, very well done my friend, have a good Sunday, ciao Silvio

Hello Anna,
Gorgeous hunk. Fantastic portrait of a stately warthog.Regards
Lucja

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2014-01-12 0:55]

Hello Anna,
Perfection all over! Splendid saturated colours in impressive sharpness and details. Taken from an excellent POV in a perfect composition. A beauty!
Regards,
Peter

Hello Anna,
Well captured this Warthog .Nice colour of green and yellow surrounding by.Good timing to capture eye contact moment.Colour and pose is attractive.
Thanks for sharing,
Regards and have a nice time,
Srikumar

It is an exceptionally beautiful picture of a Warthog in the surroundings that apparently look opulent in vegetation, Anna. It is a pleasure to see your work after a considerable passage of time.
The animal has its own unique personality that comes out strongly in your well controlled shot. It is an adorable portrait.
Thanks and belated Happy New Year to you and Loot!
Ram

hallo Anna
beautiful and sharpness picture with a nice composition
i like this shot with so many details to see
thanks greeting lou

Hello Anna
Wonderful shot of this Warthog.
Superb sharpness and colour.
I like also the very natural envioroment.
Best wishes,
Samiran

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1053 W: 5 N: 3475] (15161)
  • [2014-01-12 6:11]

Merhaba Anna,
her yönüyle nefis bir fotoğraf.Tebrik eder, iyi günler dilerim

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2014-01-12 8:06]

Hi Anna,i seen a phacocerus only in Senegal many many years ago,your pic is absolutely fantastic,what a great face to face to show us the best of this specie,special details and colors and great 3D effect too.Have a nice week and thanks,Luciano

  • Great 
  • iti Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 577 W: 0 N: 650] (7939)
  • [2014-01-12 8:21]

Hi Anna,
Excellent details and colours with perfect composition.
Very nice shot of this dangerous animal.
Regards Jiri.

Hello Anna,

Hope you are well. I do not have time but simply wanted to tell you that this is a really amazing shot and what wonderful notes you write dear.
Thanks a lot for sharing, take care.

warm regards /Abid

  • Great 
  • pirate Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 799 W: 152 N: 1186] (7474)
  • [2014-01-12 12:31]

Hi Anna
yes they are beautiful … the flowers ;-)
tfs
Tom

  • Great 
  • nanreh Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 136 W: 12 N: 258] (2191)
  • [2014-01-12 12:46]

Wonderful capture of this Boar facorero. Great focus on their skin, their huge tusks on its reddish mane ...
Congratulations, Anna!

Hernán Bortondello

Hi Anna, What a creature you have captured here in front of wild flowers. This picture is great at all aspects even taken in a cloudy day. Nice green around him too. Thank for sharing
Anna

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3053 W: 3 N: 8715] (40574)
  • [2014-01-13 5:15]

hello Anna,
Love these creatures, they always have such a funny expresssion. And to have this creatures in the middle of fine flowers enhances even the funny look. Sharpness is the best, the composition well chosen. For my taste a little too much saturation.
Kind regards
Anne

Hi Anna,
Never seen before.

Excellent sharpness.

Biswarup

Hello Anna

I like the title you give :), but your POV on this African wild animal
obtained a beautiful glance from him to you, with great DOF,
lovely light, excellent focus, sharpness, and details, TFS

Asbed

GREAT photo Anna! Interesting subject, beautiful pose, excellent composition, fantastic colours and impressive sharpness!
Regards,
Christodoulos

What a lovely picture dear Anna,
Well done.

  • Great 
  • KOMSIS Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 820 W: 0 N: 2419] (10674)
  • [2014-01-16 5:29]

Hallo Anna,
Very nice shot of this Wild boar .
Beautiful photo in good sharpness and natural colours.
Best wishes,
Seyfi

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3089 W: 230 N: 6774] (23770)
  • [2014-01-16 14:36]

Maybe not graceful or beautiful, but what an excellent specimen of this interesting feature... Which attest to your photographic skills.
Excellent details and light on the subject, greatly enhanced by the colorful background. Thanks for sharing, Anna.

  • Great 
  • waylim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 296 W: 8 N: 489] (1765)
  • [2014-01-16 15:02]

Hello Ana,

It's that you? Kidding. What a beautiful shot, I had the pleasure of seeing a few of this with babies too. My photos were not as good as this. Wow and the surrounding with flower and green vegetation makes a fantastic shot with rich color and composition.

My were just brown and dirts.

W

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 282 N: 4931] (19883)
  • [2014-01-18 19:57]

Hello Anna,
I must admit every time I see an image of one of these critters I think of the movie "Lion King", which I have seen probably a hundred times, due to having grandchildren. I'm sure you understand what I am talking about, since you are also a grandparent.
This particular fellow seems to be in prime condition and certainly has quite a large set of tusks. The detail you managed to capture is awesome, as every hair in it's coat is perfectly focused. I don't believe I have ever seen one with such long hairs falling from it's mane, like this one has. A top quality photo Anna, and a winner in my book!!
Ron

Ciao Anna. Another great pic from you. Razor details perfect sharp beautiful brilliant colours.

Roberto

A wonderful capture of this amazing warthog at the height of its prime, Anna.... lucky you! I am still pursuing it with an eager for a nice close up with my camera, but seems to me they can be quite wary with a pack of 5 little piglets at this time of the year. Please, see my next post taken from a distance on a dirt road somewhere in Loskop Nature Reserve.
Regards
George Veltchev

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