ROYAL OAK, Mich., May 3, 2007 – Two female warthogs made their debut today at the Detroit Zoo, marking the first time ever that warthogs have called the Detroit Zoo home.  Two-year-old sisters Lilith and Rebecca came from the Toronto Zoo and have settled into their habitat near the Detroit Zoo’s Africa train station.

“Warthogs are a classic African species and a real crowd-pleaser,” said Scott Carter, Detroit Zoological Society Director of Conservation and Animal Welfare.  “Lilith and Rebecca are already hogging the spotlight and stealing the hearts of Zoo employees.  We know our visitors will love them as well – warts and all.”

The warthog is among nature’s most unique-looking creatures.  It has a large head comprising about one-sixth of its body length, with a flat face, high-set eyes, and elongated snout.  Its stocky, muscular, almost-hairless body features wrinkly, gray skin, a long, coarse mane along its neck and back, and a long, tasseled tail. 

Among the warthog’s most noticeable characteristics are its four large tusks protruding from the sides of its snout.  The two upper canine teeth curve up and over the snout while the sharp lower canines are short and straight.  The warthog also sports protruding facial warts which give the species its name.  The warts are actually thick patches of flesh that are more prominent on the males.

The warthog stands about 30 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs up to 250 pounds.  It has unusually long, slender legs, which prove useful in the wild when predators such as lions and cheetahs are near.  Thick, calloused skin pads protect its wrist joints, enabling it to crouch down and shuffle along the ground while grazing.  

The warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) is found in the savannah woodland and grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa.  Its longevity is up to 10 years in the wild; 15 or more years in captivity.  The warthog’s diet in the wild consists almost entirely of grasses, but also includes insects, seeds, roots, berries, leaves and tree bark.  The Detroit Zoo’s warthogs are fed a diet of alfalfa hay and grain.

The addition of the warthogs is one of many enhancements to the Detroit Zoo’s African Grasslands, home to African species from A to Z – including aardvarks, giraffes, white rhinos and zebras – as well as several species of African birds.  New interpretive signage and fresh landscaping with grasses, plants and trees similar to those found in Africa’s grasslands will also be added.  Other native species and enhancements to the Zoo’s African Grasslands will be introduced throughout the summer.

The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo.  Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak.  The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October – with extended hours until 8 p.m. Wednesdays during July and August – and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March.  Admission is $11.00 for adults 13 to 61, $9.00 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7.00 for children ages 2 to 12; children under 2 are free.  For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.  The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March, and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.  For more information, call (313) 852-4056. 

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