Head to head
White-lipped Peccary vs Collared Peccary
White-lipped Peccary
VS Collared Peccary
The white-lipped peccary and collared peccary are the two best-known peccaries of the Americas, pig-like animals in a separate family, but they differ in herd size, habitat, and security.
| White-lipped Peccary | Collared Peccary | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Tayassu pecari | Pecari tajacu |
| Appearance | A dark coat with a band of white around the lips and chin | Resembles a pig, but belongs to a separate family found only in the Americas |
| Herds | Herds that can number in the hundreds | Cohesive herds from a handful to a couple of dozen animals |
| Alarm and defence | Makes a loud clacking sound with its teeth and tusks as an alarm or threat | Defends itself and the herd with sharp tusks, and cooperative group defence makes a healthy herd a hard target |
| Scent | A musky scent gland on its back marks the herd and its territory | A large scent gland near the base of the tail, with herd members rubbing against one another to share scent |
| Habitat and range | Forest from southern Mexico through Central America to northern Argentina | Desert and forest from the southwestern United States through Mexico and Central America into South America |
| Diet | Fruit, seeds, roots, and invertebrates, and sometimes small animals | Cacti, roots, and other desert vegetation, plus insects and small vertebrates |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable, with a decreasing population | Least Concern, with a stable population |
White-lipped Peccary vs Collared Peccary: common questions
Why is it called the white-lipped peccary?
It has a band of white around its lips and chin against a dark coat.
Are peccaries pigs?
No, they belong to a separate family found only in the Americas, although they look like pigs.
Which peccary lives in herds of hundreds?
The white-lipped peccary, while the collared peccary lives in herds of a handful to a couple of dozen animals.