Hylochoerus meinertzhageni
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey (after Masteraah) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
The giant forest hog (Hylochoerus meinertzhageni), the only member of its genus (Hylochoerus), is native to wooded habitats in Africa and is one of the largest wild members of the pig family, Suidae, along with a few subspecies of the wild boar. It was first described in 1904. The specific name honours Richard Meinertzhagen, who shot the type specimen in Kenya and had it shipped to the Natural History Museum in England.
The giant forest hog is, on average, the largest living species of suid. Adults can measure from 1.3 to 2.1 m (4 ft 3 in to 6 ft 11 in) in head-and-body length, with an additional tail length of 25 to 45 cm (9.8 to 17.7 in). Adults stand 0.75 to 1.1 m (2 ft 6 in to 3 ft 7 in) in height at the shoulder, and can weigh from 100 to 275 kg (220 to 606 lb). Females are smaller than males. Females weigh a median of approximately 167 kg (368 lb), as opposed to males, which weigh a median of 210 kg (460 lb).
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aberdare National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 2 | Chinko Conservation Area | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | |
| 3 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda |
Likely
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Forest Hog sighting in Chinko Conservation Area on a given day, based on 76 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 53 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Forest Hog in Chinko Conservation Area on a given day, against about 40% in November to January, the lowest months. That is one of Chinko Conservation Area's wettest months, with about 150 mm of rain against almost none in January.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Giant Forest Hog sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Giant Forest Hog sightings, Chinko Conservation Area ranks 2nd at about 60%. The best odds are in Aberdare National Park (Kenya, about 80%).
Same family: Suidae
The closest relatives of the Giant Forest Hog that you can see in Chinko Conservation Area (family Suidae, Suids) are Red River Hog (about 60%) and Common Warthog (about 50%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Giant Forest Hog is recorded against all the mammals logged in Chinko Conservation Area (76 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
