SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 29, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Hogle Zoo has welcomed a new resident to the African Savanna portion of the zoo.
Tikiti is a 1-year-old warthog newly arrived from the Dallas Zoo as part of a breeding program aimed at increasing the population as a girlfriend for Hogle resident Swifty, age 6.
Tikiti (tee-KEE-tee) means watermelon in Swahili.
“Since her arrival, Tikiti has been getting to know her new care team, participating in training sessions, and starting introductions with Swifty,” a Hogle Zoo news release says.
“The introduction process includes both warthogs being in the same area, separated by barriers to familiarize themselves with each other’s scents.
“Tikiti has only shared a habitat with other warthogs and is learning to live in a mixed-species habitat, meeting Hogle Zoo’s giraffes, zebras, guineafowl, and ostrich. Before her move, Dallas Zoo’s animal care team prepared Tikiti for this transition, including spending time at their Gregg Hudson Giants of the Savanna habitat to get used to a larger space.”
Zoo guests may see Tikiti in the African Savanna as she gets acquainted with her new habitat mates, the Zoo statement says.
