Common Warthog

Conservation Analysis

Current & Historic range: The Common Warthog is widely distributed over sub-Saharan Africa, occurring in scattered populations in West Africa eastwards to Eritrea and Ethiopia, southward through eastern Africa, and over much of southern Africa to southern Angola, Botswana, and Mozambique to northeast South Africa. Historically, the common warthog was not present in the arid Karoo of South Africa where the extinct Cape (desert) warthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus. Aethiopicus was present. Expansion of the Sahel-zone has resulted in a marked contraction in the range of the common warthog since at least the early 1980s. J. Newby reported the extinction of the species in Niger but then notes their persistence in south-central Aïr Mts., Niger. In addition, P. africanus were photographed in 2014 in W National Park, southwest Niger.

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The common warthog is expanding its geographic range in South Africa. It is sympatric with the Somali (desert) warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus delamerei) in north Somalia, and central, east, and southeast  Kenya (De Jong and Butynski 2014, De Jong et al. in prep.).

Current & Historic Populations: The overall number of Common Warthog in South Africa is currently estimated to be at least 22,250.  Current estimates of numbers in other southern African countries are not available. In Eastern Africa, absent, or at very low densities, in large areas but can be locally abundant where hunting is uncommon and livestock densities are low. Most populations seem to be in decline over much of the geographic range. 

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Typical densities range from 1-10 animals/km² in protected areas but local densities of 77 animals/km² on short grass in Nakuru National Park, central Kenya.

Threats to Species Survival: Major natural causes of mortality are climatic extremes (including droughts), disease (including rinderpest), and predation . Desertification has caused a decline in parts of the Sahel and close to the Namib desert. The main threats in eastern Africa are human-caused habitat degradation, loss and fragmentation, and competition with livestock for water and food. In many places they are unsustainably Hunted for, bush meat, skins, tusks (only the upper tusks are considered for trophy), as bait for hunting large carnivores, in response to crop raiding, to reduce grazing pressure, and in eradication programs. 

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In the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Common Warthog are a ‘nuisance’ animal as a result of introduction programes, even though they likley fill the niche of the extinct cape desert warthog. 

Recommended Conservation Actions:​

1. Further resource and manage protected areas where Greater Kudu exist. 

2. Encourage the implementation of economic incentives that allow landowners to profit off the presence of healthy sable population, whether that be through hunting or ecotourism. 

3. Focus funds on recovering Kudu populations in the northern end of their historical range, were their populations are under the most threat. 

4. Improve survey methods to get accurate population data, such as implementing long-term monitoring programs.