Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups are the Cervinae. In this they differ from permanently horned antelope. Which are part of a different family within the same order of even-toed ungulates. Deer live in a variety of biomes, ranging from tundra to the tropical rainforest.
The common warthog is a wild member of the pig family found in grassland, savanna, and woodland in sub-Saharan Africa. Its diet is omnivorous, composed of grasses, roots, berries and other fruits, bark, fungi, insects, eggs and carrion. Although they can dig their own burrows, they commonly occupy abandoned burrows of aardvarks and other animals.
On an afternoon drive in Zambia, we witnessed the most unexpected and, as far as we know, photographically undocumented, sighting. We had just had the first brief storm of the season and the wildlife was noticeably excited and full of energy.
As we rounded a bend in a very attractive stretch of miombo woodland, our guide Tyrone heard the frantic alarm calls of a herd of impala. Putting his binoculars to his eyes, he shouted: “Let’s go!”
As we moved further along the track to get a better look at what was causing the commotion. He explained that he had seen a grey shape tussling with what looked to be an young impala. Tyrone assumed that it was a baboon snatching an easy kill, as this sometimes happens at this time of year.
However, what we found was not a baboon, a lone warthog that was in a frantic state. We watched as a young impala was attacked and gored to death by the warthog before our very eyes. In what seemed to be a fit of rage, the warthog would tusk, stab and throw the kicking body of the impala around the woodland. While the mother of the baby was alarm calling and frantically running to distract the killer warthog.
Tyrone explained that it was not wholly uncommon to find warthog feeding on carcasses or carrion at this time of year. When wildlife is a little more stressed, and certain minerals and salts may not be as readily available in the bush. One wonders how often this may actually happen, going unseen.
Larger than South Africa’s Kruger National Park, Kafue National Park is the largest national park in Zambia. And it is relatively unknown and unexplored. It is home to a vital carnivore population including wild dog, lion, leopard and cheetah as well as one of southern Africa’s most important elephant populations.