ATLANTA — Attained the rank of a Jedi Master, he has not, but Zoo Atlanta did welcome their own Anakin to the city ahead of Star Wars Day.
Unlike his namesake, Anakin has all of his hooves.
Zoo Atlanta welcomed the young warthog to Georgia just in time for May the Fourth.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Anakin arrived April 28 from the Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Florida.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Georgia $1.2 billion tax rebates: First checks are going out. How much will you get?
- $1,000 fines for illegally passing stopped school buses starts today in this metro county
- Georgia DNR launches the ‘Red Snapper Project’
According to Zoo Atlanta officials, Anakin is taking Hamlet’s place as part of a romance plan with a young female warthog on her way to the zoo.
Anakin’s move to Atlanta was recommended by the Association of zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan, zoo officials said.
“When people think of Africa’s iconic savanna wildlife, warthogs are some of the first animals that come to mind,” Gina Ferrie, PhD, Vice President of Collections and Conservation, said in a statement. “Like all savanna animals, they inspire us to appreciate the biodiversity and interconnectedness of some of the planet’s most famous wild places. We look forward to introducing Anakin to our Members and guests.”
The same organization recommended Hamlet warp over to another AZA-accredited institution, opening up the council seat for Anakin.
Unlike his Skywalker namesake, Anakin won’t be going it alone. The 8-month-old warthog will have a motherly figure in Eleanor.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
