Check Out This Video Of A Superfast Warthog

It may come as a surprise to many but warthogs which are chubby pigs with tusks that live on the savannah are actually pretty decent sprinters. They can actually reach speeds exceeding 30 miles per hour or 48 km/h in short bursts. That sort of speed comes in incredibly useful if you are trying to avoid being eaten by a pride of hungry lions. One travel writer recently captured footage of a warthog fleeing across a dry river bed in total sprint mode as it sought to outrun a pride of seven lions.

Sleeping lions

The tourists were on a game drive in Kruger National Park when another car that had stopped made them aware of the lion pride. The lions at first did not appear to be doing much beyond sleeping and laying around. Loads of people turned up to snap photos and then left. The tourists stayed because they had a pair of binoculars and one of them could see the lioness at the front of the group was watching something on the river bed with great intent possibly signalling the beginning of a hunt.

Predators on the hunt

The hunch turned out to be correct because after about an hour, the lioness got up and fixed her gaze on a target on the opposite side of the river bank. It turned out to be a warthog which had trotted towards a small pool of water completely unaware that there were a group of lions hiding underneath the nearby trees. One of the lionesses to control and began moving slowly towards the warthog whilst the rest of the group fanned out in both directions.

Ambitious move

With little coverage in the way of foliage, the lead lioness charged. The move was ambitious because it gave the warthog lots of time to respond and let loos a sprint and run for its life it did. You can see the warthog’s impressive acceleration as it bolts across the riverbed and up to the safety of the bank whilst the lions half-heartedly chase it.

Outrunning the attackers

Warthogs typically retreat to the safety of their burrows which they usually enter rear facing should there be a need to charge at a marauding predator. In this instance, the burrow did not appear to be easily accessible so the warthog chose to outrun its tormenters. Generally female warthogs form matriarchal groups comprising one or two adult females and their young. This particular warthog seemed to be flying solo so is more likely to be an adult male.