Collared peccary
Pecari tajacu
Distribution
From the southern United States, Central and South America to northern Argentina.
Habitat
Rainforest / Savannah
Gestation
5 months
Number of pups
1-3
Longevity
25 years
Weight
15-30 kg
Size
0.3-0.5 m high, 0.8-1 m long
Diet
herbivore, frugivore
Conservation status
:
Not Threatened
Cactus Eater!
Peccaries live in groups of 5 to 15 individuals, strongly cohesive. The hierarchy is precise, and surprisingly there are as many males as females, because subordinate males do not seek to reproduce and are thus accepted by the dominant male.
Thanks to their sense of smell, they detect the roots, bulbs and other tubers they feed on, however their favorite dish is the prickly pear, a very spicy cactus!
Although the populations of the collared peccaries are stable, this species is nevertheless hunted in large numbers for its skin, which is prized for making gloves…
