A FACE ONLY A MOTHER COULD LOVE

Let's face it, a warthog has a face only a mother could love. They look like they are covered in shark skin that has been out of the water for several days. And that face...ouch! Add some long coarse body hair, some regular mud baths, and you have one ugly dude. When frightened a warthog runs away with his tail held high. Our first PH in Africa used to act like he had a remote control every time we spooked warthogs and they fled with their tails in the air. He would say with a smile..."Using my remote control for his antenna." They do look like an R-C toy with their tail held straight as a poker as they exit stage left. Our last morning in Kruger Park I stepped outside of our chalet to find a warthog eating in the yard. I was excited about the chance for a few close up pictures without any brush or tall grass to mess up the shots. Then it hit me, he must have gotten through a hole in the game fence protecting visitors from the wild animals of the park. NOT COOL...when I remembered several large hyena the night before standing just a few feet from the fence just down wind of our bar-b-q. I would not want to open the door to find the devil's dogs there to greet me. For the record, warthog is my second favorite african game on the dinner table, only behind the springbok. After the warthog left, I discovered the local monkeys had found our coolers and helped themselves to breakfast. The Kruger monkeys and baboons are as bold as any theives in toughest section of the big city. They have learned people = food.

ONE OF THE ROTTEN BANDITS!