The wild boar and warthog have their differences but also some similarities being members of the swine family. They both love wallowing in mud. But who would get to roll in the mud first if they met at the local mud bath? Boar vs warthog fight who would win?
Read on as we compare the physical traits of the two and determine who would be the winner.
Boar vs Warthog Animal Fact Sheet
| Boar | Warthog | |
| Size | weight 110 – 250 kg height 80 – 120 cm length 1.5 – 2 m | weight 60 – 150 kg height 64 – 85 cm length 90 – 150 cm |
| Speed | 25 mph | 30 mph |
| Attack | tusks | tusks |
| Defence | thick skin | large bumps for face protection, den to hide in |
| Special Abilities | great sense of smell and hearing, resistance to snake venom | great sense of smell and hearing, resistance to snake venom, survive months without water |
| Habitat | Europe and Asia forests and grasslands | Sub-Saharan African grassland, savanna and woodland |
| Diet | omnivore | omnivore |
| Lifespan | 15 – 20 years | 15 – 18 years |
| Predators | tigers, leopards, wolves, bears and humans | lions, leopards, crocodiles, hyenas and humans |
Boar vs Warthog Size
The average male boar weighs between 110 – 250 kg (242 – 551 lb), shoulder height is 80 – 120 cm (31 – 47 in) with a head to the start of the tail length of 1.5 m – 2 m (5 – 6.5 ft).
The boar’s size is determined by its environment. With ample food and water, they can grow to monstrous sizes.
Adult male boars found in Ussuriland and Manchuria have had weights recorded between 300 – 350 kg (660 – 770 lb) and measured as high as 1.25 m (4 ft) at the shoulder. These are grizzly bear proportions. Boars at this size won’t have any natural predators.
The Warthog is smaller than the boar weighing 60 – 150 kg (132 – 330 lb). The shoulder height of 64 – 85 cm (25 – 33 in) and measures 90 – 150 cm (35 – 59 in) from the head to the end of the body.
The boar wins in size.
Boar vs Warthog Speed
Although both animals look like barrels on four thin legs, they are quick on their feet. The boar can reach a top speed of 25 mph (40 kph), with the warthog being just a bit faster at 30 mph (48 kph).
The warthog wins on speed but only just.
Boar vs Warthog Attack
Both the boar and warthog have tusks that are just overgrown canine teeth.
A warthog has two pairs of tusks. The top pair of tusks come from the mouth and curve upwards, forming two semicircles on either side of the face and can be 25.5 cm (10 in) long.
The lower pair of tusks are straight and extremely sharp after years of repeated rubber against the top tusks.
The boar also has tusks. The upper tusks are short and curve upwards as the boar ages. The lower tusks are more prolonged and sharper, measuring 10 – 12 cm (3.9 – 4.7 in).
When digging, their neck muscles are powerful enough to move rocks weighing 40 – 50 kg (88 – 110 lb).
The boar wins on attacking power. The boar may have smaller tusks, but its strong neck can contribute to a strong ramming attack on its opponent.
Boar vs Warthog Defence
The male boar has thicker skin than the females, called a shoulder shield, with the skin 5 cm (2 in) thicker than usual. The shield starts from the shoulder, goes to the middle back, and covers the neck to the top of the front legs. The skin is thickest during the breeding season.
Male warthogs have large lumps on their face, which people often think are warts but are fatty bumps to protect them from blows from rival males during mating season.
When threatened by a predator, warthogs go into fight or flight mode and can retreat to their dens to hide. They do not dig these dens but steal them from other animals like armadillos. They reverse in with their face pointing towards the entrance to bite incoming predators.
Warthogs win on defence as they have a den to hide in. Only determined predators like a pride of lions will dig them out.
Boar vs Warthog Special Abilities
Both boar and warthog have a terrific sense of smell and hearing to sniff out food and detect predators. This makes up for their poor eyesight.
The swine family are also one of four groups of animals that have a resistance to snake venom. They have a mutation in their nervous system, which prevents the snake venom from binding.
Warthogs have adapted to survive months without water during the dry season. They can go six months up to a year without drinking.
The warthog wins with its ability to survive without water.
Boar vs Warthog Diet
Both boar and warthog are omnivores meaning they eat vegetation and meat.
The warthog’s diet consists mainly of grasses but will eat insects and carrion when food is scarce. Boars eat plants, insects, small mammals, lizards, birds and carrion.
Boar vs Warthog Fight Who Would Win?
The boar may have the size advantage over the warthog, but the warthog would win against the boar in a fight as it has the larger canines that could easily puncture the boar’s thick hide.
The warthog is lighter and faster and would be able to out-manoeuvre the boar.
The only way for the boar to win is if it managed to flip the warthog onto its back, pin it down with its weight, and bite it.
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