Mammals
Collared Peccary
Pecari tajacu · also called javelina, collared peccaries
Moving as a tight, cooperative group through desert scrub, a herd of collared peccaries pauses to feed on a prickly pear cactus, tolerating its spines for the water and nutrition hidden within, a pig-like forager that is not actually related to true pigs at all.
Overview
The collared peccary, Pecari tajacu, is a social, pig-like omnivore native to desert and forest habitat across an extensive range spanning the southwestern United States through Mexico and Central America into South America. Its cohesive cooperative herds, scent-based social bonding, and surprising tolerance for cactus spines make it one of the more behaviourally distinctive medium-sized mammals found across the Americas.
A pig in appearance only
Despite looking every bit like a wild pig, the collared peccary belongs to an entirely separate family found only in the Americas, its resemblance to true pigs a case of similar appearance rather than any close family relationship.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and stable across suitable desert and forest habitat throughout its extensive range in the Americas.
Collared Peccary: common questions
Is the collared peccary a type of pig?
No, despite a strong resemblance to true pigs, this species belongs to an entirely separate family found only in the Americas, distinguished by differences including stomach structure and scent gland anatomy, making the peccary family more of a distant evolutionary cousin than a true pig relative.
How does the collared peccary use scent to stay bonded as a herd?
This species has a large scent gland located near the base of the tail, and herd members regularly rub against one another to share this scent, a social behaviour that helps maintain group cohesion and allows herd members to recognise one another.
How does the collared peccary eat prickly pear cactus without injury?
This species tolerates or removes the spines as it feeds on the pads and fruit of prickly pear cactus, gaining valuable nutrition and water content from a food source that most other desert mammals would find far too hazardous to approach.
Can a collared peccary defend itself against predators?
Yes, this species can defend itself and its herd members effectively using sharp tusks, and because peccaries typically travel and respond to threats cooperatively as a group, a healthy herd presents a genuinely difficult target for most predators to approach successfully.