> ... that Waylon had merely decided to deliver a forceful message—“This is my pen and I’m the man around here now!”—in the only way he knew how
That was the victim's immediate reaction and it sounds right. Swine have dominance hierarchies, they compete for mates and food. Those tusks are for intra-species use too, like antlers. This was a warthog being a warthog after being mistaken for a cuddly pet.
That's the thing about wild animals, you an get along with them for sure, but unless you hand-reared them they're incredibly unpredictable. Even with hand-rearing you're taking a risk, just ask Roy Horn.
The simple fact is that a "corrective action" from a large animal can kill or maim a human, and the animal simply doesn't always have executive control over their behavior. Anyone who's dealt with a panicked horse knows that even when they don't mean to hurt you, they can reaaaaalllly hurt you. Expertise and familiarity go a long way, but the fact is that dealing with large mammals is inherently risky.
That was the victim's immediate reaction and it sounds right. Swine have dominance hierarchies, they compete for mates and food. Those tusks are for intra-species use too, like antlers. This was a warthog being a warthog after being mistaken for a cuddly pet.