Common Warthog - Burkina Faso

As a French colony, Burkina Faso was known as “Haute-Volta,” French for Upper Volta. This name was a reflection of the country’s position above the Volta River. Prior to French colonial control, it had existed as a powerful East African state known as The Mossi Empire. The Mossi Empire was founded in the 11th century.

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Phacochoerus africanus - The common warthog is found in open or lightly forested areas. It is black or brown in color and sparsely haired, except for a thick coarse mane running from the neck to the middle of the back. Warthogs, as the name implies, have three pairs of facial warts; they are more prominent on the males. The warts serve as fat reserves, but are also used during battles between males during the mating season. Both sexes have tusks to assist in digging up roots or tubers and to serve as defensive weapons against predators.

Wild Boar - Belarus

The Białowieża Forest straddles the border of Poland and Belarus. It is one of the largest remaining tracts of primeval forest left in Europe. The forest area is about 2,000 square kilometers; most of the area is located in Belarus. Both countries have included large portions of the Białowieża Forest within their national park system.

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Sus scrofa - The wild boar is the ancestor of the domesticated pig and is native to Europe and Asia. It is a sturdy animal, compact in design, with a large head and short legs. The coat has an inner layer of fine fur and an outer layer of stiff bristles. Adult males use their tusks as weapons against predators or other males when battling for females. The females also have enlarged canines, but they do not protrude from the mouth. Boars have a pre-nasal bone at the tip of their snout; it is used as a shovel when digging up roots, tubers or bulbs.

Barbirusa - Indonesia

The corpse flower is the world’s largest flower. It can measure up to 105 centimeters across and weighing up to 7 kilos. It is a rare specimen endemic to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo and is referred to locally as “bunga patma.” For the purpose of pollination, the flower emits a strong odor of rotting flesh to attract insects.

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Babyrousa celebensis - Barbirusas are members of the pig family. Of the three species, the Sulawesi barbirusa is the largest. The name stems from the Indonesian term for “pig-deer.” The males are known for their tusks, extensions of the lower and upper canines. The lower canines grow out and over the upper lip and the upper canines penetrate the snout, curling backwards towards the animal’s skull. Severe habitat loss and poaching have threatened the three species of barbirusa with possible extinction; they are protected by law.