# Common warthog (*Phacochoerus africanus*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-warthog  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) is a mammal in the family Suidae, order Artiodactyla, and genus Phacochoerus. It is a large, terrestrial, nocturnal herbivore with an adult body mass of 82.5 kg and a highest reported value of 91.25 kg. Gestation lasts 168.2 days, litters hold 3 young, there are 1.5 litters per year, and sexual maturity comes at 1.6 years. Its lifespan is 20.79 years, and the IUCN Red List assesses it globally as Least Concern, which is not a threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 82.5 kg – 91.3 kg |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | 20.8 years |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | grassland, woodland |
| Gestation | 168 days – 174 days |
| Young per litter or clutch | 3 |
| Age at maturity | 19 months |
| Litters or clutches a year | 1.5 |
| Active | At night (nocturnal) |
| Lifestyle | Terrestrial |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Mammalia
- order: Artiodactyla
- family: Suidae
- genus: Phacochoerus
- species: *Phacochoerus africanus* (Gmelin, 1788)

Synonyms: *Phacochoerus alliani*, *Phacochoerus barbatus*, *Phacochoerus barkeri*, *Phacochoerus bufo*, *Phacochoerus centralis*, *Phacochoerus fossor*, *Phacochoerus haroia*, *Phacochoerus helmei*, *Phacochoerus incisivus*, *Phacochoerus kabuae*, *Phacochoerus oeliani*, *Phacochoerus sclateri*, *Phacochoerus shortridgei*, *Phascochaeres africanus*, *Sus africanus*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the common warthog?

The common warthog is a mammal in the family Suidae and order Artiodactyla. It is a large, terrestrial animal.

### How heavy is a common warthog?

An adult Common warthog weighs 82.5 kg, with a highest reported value of 91.25 kg.

### What does the common warthog eat?

The common warthog is a herbivore.

### Is the common warthog endangered?

No. The IUCN Red List assesses it globally as Least Concern, which is not a threatened category.

### How long does a common warthog live?

The common warthog has a lifespan of 20.79 years, with a highest reported value of 20.9 years.

### How many young does a common warthog have?

A common warthog has 3 young per litter and 1.5 litters per year, after a gestation period of 168.2 days.

### Is the common warthog nocturnal?

Yes. The common warthog is nocturnal.

### Who named the common warthog?

The common warthog was named Phacochoerus africanus by (Gmelin, 1788).

## Sources

- [An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles](https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3563457.v1), CC0 1.0, E096-269. Myhrvold, N.P., Baldridge, E., Chan, B., Sivam, D., Freeman, D.L. & Ernest, S.K.M. (2015) An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles. Ecology 96: 3109. https://doi.org/10.1890/15-0846R.1. Data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3563457.v1
- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [EltonTraits 1.0: species-level foraging attributes of the world's birds and mammals](https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3559887.v1), CC0 1.0, 1.0. Wilman, H., Belmaker, J., Simpson, J., de la Rosa, C., Rivadeneira, M.M. & Jetz, W. (2014) EltonTraits 1.0: Species-level foraging attributes of the world's birds and mammals. Ecology 95: 2027. https://doi.org/10.1890/13-1917.1. Data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3559887.v1
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-warthog