Potamochoerus larvatus
Silhouette: PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus) is a member of the pig family that inhabits forests, woodland, riverine vegetation and cultivated areas in East and Southern Africa. Introduced populations are also probably present in Madagascar. There have also been unverified reports of their presence on the Comoro island of Mayotte. Bushpigs are mainly nocturnal. There are several subspecies.
The vernacular name 'bushpig' may be used for either Potamochoerus species. Adult bushpigs stand from 66 to 100 cm (26 to 39 in) at the shoulder, and mature boars can reach a weight of 150 kg (330 lb), although 60 to 80 kg (130 to 180 lb) is more common. Sows are 45 to 70 kg (99 to 154 lb). They resemble the domestic pig, and can be identified by their pointed, tufted ears and face mask.
Bushpigs vary in hair colour and skin colour over their range. Southern koiropotamus and nyasae populations are dark reddish, sometimes almost black. The coat colour darkens with age. Their heads may have a 'face mask' with a contrasting pattern of blackish to dark brown and white to dark grey markings, or may sometimes be completely whitish. The ears have tassels of long hairs. Their very sharp tusks... Wikipedia →
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Zambia · 2023
© Marc Anderson · XC959798 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 2 | Gorongosa National Park | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | |
| 3 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 4 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seaview Game & Lion Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Parco Natura Viva | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 3 | Botanical and Zoological Garden of Tsimbazaza | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Bushpig sighting in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 20th most-seen of the 29 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Bushpig in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park on a given day, against under 5% in June, September and November–February, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bushpig sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
4th of 6
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Bushpig sightings, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park ranks 4th at about 10%. The best odds are in Liwonde National Park (Malawi, about 50%), Gorongosa National Park (Mozambique, about 30%) and Kafue National Park (Zambia, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Bushpig is recorded against all the mammals logged in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park (12 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.
