The Sunday News
JUST like the Walt Disney block-buster movie, Lion King’s carefree animation warthog character — Pumbaa (who, he and his meerkat friend — Timon conform to the Swahili phrase — Hakuna matata, which means no problems), dwells a happy-go-lucky warthog at a gamepark situated about 12 kilometres outside Harare.
For many people, this might sound fabled or far-fetched but it is the total opposite — real.
The warthog named Spike, is so shrewd that it has adapted to the human surroundings to the extent of picking up on human traits.
The wild pig, which has seemingly accustomed itself to human habitats reportedly, finds shelter every other evening at a lodge — Pamuzinda Safari Lodge, where it spends the night sleeping on a pillow by the lodge’s fire place.
A tourist who was much marveled by the animal recently made remarks about the peculiar phenomenon, noting how the warthog had adapted to human conditions to avoid the cold winter spell.
“On the first evening while sitting in front of the fire in the bar, in walked a fully grown warthog. He walked over to the bar and without a word the barman handed him a pillow.
“He took the pillow, put it next to the fire and promptly lay down with his head on the pillow and went to sleep where; apparently he spends the cold nights. Then in the morning he’s off into the bush again! If the barman isn’t there he’ll grab a pillow off one of the couches,” said the tourist on the lodge’s page on Facebook.
A woman, who presumably has several adventures at the game park — Leigh Caroline Howes, said there was also a giraffe that had been tamed and was also one of the major marvels from the lodge.
“They also have Geoffrey the friendly giraffe who is tame and Colin the friendly crocodile. Ok I am joking about Colin but the other two are true,” she said.
Zimbabwe is home to the seventh wonder of the world — Victoria Falls and also boasts of wonderful and immaculate flora and fauna across the country.
