Brush-eared pig

Dr.-Ing. E. h. Frank Asbeck, SolarWorld AG

We are delighted that Dr.-Ing. E. h. Frank Asbeck, SolarWorld AG, has taken over the sponsorship of the brush-eared pig (Potamochoerus porcus).

Their fox-red fur and the brush-like tufts on their leaf-shaped ears give brush-eared pigs a striking appearance. From Senegal to Central Africa, they can be found in rainforests, savannahs or marshlands, where the mainly nocturnal animals usually live in small family groups of three to six members.

An exclusive feature of the males are the protruding tubercles below the eyes. However, both sexes have tusks on their upper and lower jaws. They use them to dig roots, fruits and seeds out of the ground. Brush-eared porcupines like to follow groups of chimpanzees as they forage for food in the trees. Various aquatic plants are also on the menu of these good swimmers. And finally, the omnivores do not disdain animal food: insects, snails, reptiles, young birds, bird eggs and carrion are eaten, and in populated areas sometimes even young domestic animals such as piglets or lambs.

Besides the leopard, their own biggest enemy is man: brush-eared pigs, together with the duiker antelopes, are among the most hunted animals in the Congo Basin.