Zoo Atlanta welcomes Hamlet, a 19-month old male warthog, to the all-new African Savanna. A recent arrival from the Houston Zoo in Texas, Hamlet began exploring his new habitat earlier this week.
Hamlet has arrived as a companion for Eleanor, the 6-year-old female warthog at Zoo Atlanta. As he is gradually acclimating to his new environment, there is not yet a guarantee of seeing him.
“We’re excited to introduce Hamlet to the African Savanna. Warthogs are animals that many people consider iconic to a legendary part of Africa,” said Jennifer Mickelberg, PhD, Vice President of Collections and Conservation. “The animals that are part of this environment are all emblematic of the connectedness of this ecosystem – and of the connections between us here in Atlanta and the future of Africa’s wild savannas.”
Native to sub-Saharan Africa, wild warthog populations are currently widespread but are in decline as a result of drought, desertification, and human-caused habitat loss and habitat fragmentation. Warthogs are highly resilient animals and are more adaptable to human activities than most of the other mammals that share their grasslands ecosystem.
Hamlet is the second relatively recent new addition to the complement of wildlife found at Zoo Atlanta’s African Savanna. In May, the Zoo welcomed Mumbles, a 9-year old southern white rhinoceros – the first of his species to call Zoo Atlanta home. The African Savanna also features new and expanded habitats for elephants, giraffes, zebras, ostriches, and meerkats.
Visit zooatlanta.org for more information on Wild Encounters programs and requirements.
