Abstract
Studies on social organization and activity patterns of common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus Gmelin, 1788) was conducted in southwestern and northeastern Dabena Valley Forest from May 2016 to June 2018. These were in Gassi Controlled Area (GCHA) the southwestern part and in Haro Aba Diko Controlled Hunting Area (HADCHA); the northeastern part of the Valley. Group sizes of common warthogs whose center were on or very near the strip line transect were detected using binoculars and naked eyes. Population structure and group categories were recorded. Observations on diurnal activity patterns were carried out using naked eyes and binoculars. The duration of each activity was recorded using mobile electronic stopwatch. Continual scan sampling methods were used to assess the activity budgets of common warthog populations. The sounder size of common warthog population in GCHA was 246, in HADCHA, it was 652. The population size in the study areas showed a significant difference (χ2=18.78, df=1, P=0.05). The highest common warthog population sounder was formed by unidentified juvenile sex: 235 (26.5%), followed by sub-adult male: 191 (21%). During the wet season, the adult male common warthog population sounder size was significantly different (Mann– Whitney: U=1.5, P< 0.005) compared to the sub-adult female. There were significant differences in walking (F122=6.65, P < 0.05) and vigilance (F122=26.21, P < 0.05) between GCHA and HADCHA during the wet season. Adult common warthogs spent the highest proportion of the daytime feeding (47.21%), followed by resting (14.29%) and walking (11.94%).
Highlights
Common warthogs are communal animals with a flexible social structure [15]
The largest adult male of common warthog sounder size was 88 in Haro Aba Diko Controlled Hunting Area (HADCHA) and the smallest was in Gassi Controlled Hunting Area (GCHA) (29)
Adult female group size was maximum in HADCHA (118) and minimum in GCHA (46)
Summary
Common warthogs are communal animals with a flexible social structure [15] They live in relative groups called sounders, consisting of one or more females with one or more successive litters [33]. Male warthogs usually depart from their natal groups before the age of two years [33, 39, 42]. Both sexes reveal a high degree of philopatry. Common warthog group formation depends on sex, age and season of the year [42] Adult males seldom form sounders [15, 42].
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