Watch A Warthog Hit Turbo-Speed When It Realizes A Lion Is About To Pounce

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Written by Crystal

Updated: November 10, 2023

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The warthog is cooling off in the mud bath, grinning tusk to tusk. They’re oblivious to the lion waiting to eat them. When the lion makes a move, the warthog reacts with lightning-fast speed. This torpedo pig goes faster than you’d ever think its stocky body could. The warthog hits turbo-speed, hoping to find a place to hide.

Animals continue to impress us with their evasion techniques. Let’s learn more about the nature of this predator-prey relationship now. Other animals that have minor roles in this awesome footage include a chill hippo and a motionless crocodile.

Fast And Furious: Warthog Vs. Lion Top Speed

Warthogs can reach speeds of up to 30 mph. These top speeds help them outrun hungry predators like lions and leopards. The video at the bottom of this page shows the warthog running in a straight line. It’s booking it for the brush, hoping to find a hiding hole. And hopefully, it’s a big hole too. Warthogs can weigh between 110 to 250 pounds, and their bodies are two to five feet long.

Hiding Holes

Female lion, or lioness, in the Kalahari desert

Lions are faster than warthogs and can reach up to 50 mph.

©Johan Swanepoel/Shutterstock.com

Warthogs aren’t endurance runners, and they know it. They begin looking for a place to hide the second they start evading a threat. Some of their favorite hiding spots include burrows and holes. Warthogs back their body into holes, tusks facing out toward any threats.

The holes aren’t just for hiding; they’re also a great relaxing place. Warthogs sleep in natural burrows and abandoned aardvark homes.

Lions Can Run 50 MPH

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Lions are one of the fastest land animals on Earth but are only able to run fast in short bursts.

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Lions are faster than warthogs and can reach up to 50 mph. They’re one of the fastest land animals on Earth, but they can only maintain these speeds for short bursts. Since Lions have large, heavy bodies, they must be careful not to overheat.

Lions aren’t cursorial predators like wolves. They use their speed for short pursuits, not long-distance endurance runs. Once they’re close enough to their prey, this big cat can leap up to 36 feet in a single bound.

The Normal Diet of a Lion

Male lion lying on a muddy river bank looking alert in Ndutu in Tanzania

Because they are cats, lions are obligate carnivores.

©Stu Porter/Shutterstock.com

A lion’s normal diet consists of a wide variety of animals, including antelope, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, and even smaller animals like hares and rodents. They often hunt in groups, and the biggest and strongest male lion will usually eat first. Lions also occasionally scavenge for food, eating the leftovers of other predators.

It is not out of the ordinary for a lion to eat a warthog. Warthogs are a large source of protein, and lions are known to go after them when they have the chance. Lions often hunt warthogs in groups, surrounding them before attacking.

In general, a lion’s diet is quite diverse, and they are able to eat a variety of different animals. Eating a warthog is not abnormal for a lion, and it will take advantage of the opportunity if one presents itself.

Why Do Warthogs Love Taking Mud Baths?

Warthog

When pigs take mud baths, it’s not because they want to get dirty.

©John Ceulemans/Shutterstock.com

Watching the warthog take a mud bath is priceless. You can tell it’s loving the experience and digging deep into the mud. Lions cool off through heat exchange across their fuzzy skin.

When pigs take mud baths, it’s not because they want to get dirty. They roam the mud to regulate their body temperature. Since they lack functional sweat glands and can’t pant, pigs rely on the cool mud to survive hot days.

The evaporative cooling process takes place as the mud dries on the skin. The heat is released from their bodies, lowering body temperature. The mud also serves a double purpose, providing a protective layer for the pig’s skin. The dried mud protects the warthog from harmful UV rays, ticks, and other biting insects.

What Type Of Warthog Is It?

Warthog in the scrub

Warthogs can run at up to 30 mph

©Rudi Hulshof/Shutterstock.com

The speedster in this wildlife footage is likely a common warthog. Recent DNA analysis confirms that the Somali and common warthogs are entirely different species. They have overlapping ranges in northern Somalia, northern and Eastern Kenya, and Southern Ethiopia. You can see the warthog hit turbo speed in the video below.


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About the Author

Crystal is a dedicated writer at A-Z Animals, focusing on topics related to mammals, insects, and travel. With over a decade of experience in the world of research and writing, she also fulfills the role of a skilled video and audio engineer. Residing in sunny Florida, alligators are Crystal's favorite animal.

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