Hylochoerus meinertzhageni Skull Replica measures 18.8 inches. Hylochoerus meinertzhageni Skull is museum quality polyurethane cast made in the USA. 2-part skull (separate cranium & jaw). California Academy of Sciences Polyurethane cast of original specimen.
The Giant Forest Hog (Hylochoerus meinertzhageni), the only member of its genus (Hylochoerus), is native to wooded habitats in Africa and is one of the largest wild members of the pig family, Suidae, along with a few subspecies of the wild boar.
It was first described in 1904. The specific name honours Richard Meinertzhagen, who shot the type specimen in Kenya and had it shipped to the Natural History Museum in England.
Giant forest hogs occur in west and central Africa, where they are largely restricted to the Guinean and Congolese forests.
They also occur more locally in humid highlands of the Rwenzori Mountains, on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and as far east as Mount Kenya and the Ethiopian Highlands.
They are mainly found in forest-grassland mosaics, but can also be seen in wooded savanna and subalpine habitats at altitudes up to 12,500 feet. They are unable to cope with low humidity or prolonged exposure to the sun, resulting in their being absent from arid regions and habitats devoid of dense cover.
The Hylochoerus meinertzhageni or Giant Forest Hog is, on average, the largest living species of suid. Adults can measure from 4 ft 3 in to 6 ft 11 in. in head-and-body length, with an additional tail length of 9.8 to 17.7 in.
Adults stand 2 ft 6 in to 3 ft 7 in. in height at the shoulder, and can weigh from 220 to 606 lb. Females are smaller than males.
The Hylochoerus meinertzhageni has extensive hairs on its body, though these tend to become less pronounced as the animal ages. It is mostly black in color on the surface, though hairs nearest the skin of the animal are a deep orange color.
Its ears are large and pointy, and the tusks are proportionally smaller than those of the warthogs, but bigger than those of the bushpig. Nevertheless, the tusks of a male may reach a length of 14.1 inches.
The Giant Forest Hog is mainly a herbivore, but also scavenges. It is usually considered nocturnal, but in cold periods, it is more commonly seen during daylight hours, and it may be diurnal in regions where protected from humans.
They live in herds (sounders) of up to 20 animals consisting of females and their offspring, but usually also including a single old male.
Hylochoerus meinertzhageni females leave the sounder before giving birth and return with the piglets about a week after parturition. All members of the sounder protect the piglets, and a piglet can nurse from all females.
Boars fight by running head on into each other, followed by head pushing and attempts to slash the opponent with their lower tusks. Fights among males resulting in the death of one of the participants are not uncommon.