ESTATE NEWS | THE
from the
Estate Manager Things that go bump in the night... is what quite a few of our residents have recently woken up to during the small hours of the morning. Some of those bold enough to brave the freezing temperatures to investigate then unexpectedly made the acquaintance of some of the more, shall we say, peculiar inhabitants that we share our estate with, making a nuisance of themselves by knocking over the refuse bins in search of food. But no reason to be too alarmed. While these critters can respond aggressively when threatened or cornered, and especially when they have young, they are also known to be very shy and wary of us humans. The bushpig (Potamochoerus Larvatus) is a member of the pig family that is endemic to our woodlands, forests, riverine vegetation, and reedbeds in Southern and Eastern Africa. Bushpigs are mainly nocturnal animals that hideaway in the dense bush or underground during the day which is why we rarely come across them while the sun is up. At nighttime,
however, they tend to roam into agricultural areas where they forage for food which is why they are then hunted fairly extensively. Their population in such areas continues to grow despite the hunting efforts largely due to inaccessible terrains, an abundance of food, a lack of predators, and their rapid ability to adapt to hunting methods used. They then also sometimes find their way into residential areas bordering their territory and The Hills is no exception it would seem. Adult bushpigs reach from 66cm to 100cm in height at the shoulder and can weigh anything from 55kg to 150kg. The males are normally larger than the females. They resemble the domestic pig and can be identified by their blunt, muscular snouts, small eyes, pointed, tufted ears, and buckled toes. Their colour varies from reddish-brown to dark brown and they typically become darker with age. Both sexes have a lighter-coloured mane which bristles when the animal becomes agitated. The upper parts of the face and ears are also lighter in colour. Their sharp tusks are fairly short and inconspicuous and unlike their warthog relatives, they run with their tails held down. Bushpigs are very social animals and are
