“Seeing this warthog specimen always brings a smile to my face. Its disproportionally large head, wattled face, tufted tail, and corpulent body supported by spindly legs, give it a rather comical appearance – one that Disney animators so humorously interpreted in the character of Pumbaa in the Lion King. When visiting the Serengeti Plains in Kenya in 2011, I had the opportunity to see warthogs in their natural habitat. It was very difficult to observe them at close range because they, more than the other animals, were exceedingly skittish. At the slightest movement they would sprint away at surprising speed. The skull specimens of these creatures are, in contrast, hauntingly beautiful having two pairs of elegantly curved tusks. In life, these would be used for digging, defense and mate competition.”

Catherine Stewart, Artist.