Mammals · Artiodactyla · Tayassuidae

Collared Peccary

Pecari tajacu

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It lives in social groups of 6 to 30 animals and has a dorsal gland that releases a distinctive musky secretion used to recognise other members of the group.

Weight

14 kg – 31 kg

Size

80 cm – 1.1 m

Lifespan

11 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Irregular activity

Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestDesertOmnivore Variable activity In herds Rainforest Desert Mammal

21countries 14parks2same family

Fun facts

Its musky smell is so strong that you often notice it before you see the animal.
It eats roots, fruit, cactus, insects and the occasional small vertebrate.
It lives in desert, rainforest, scrub and dry forest from the south-western United States to Argentina.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Desert, rainforest, scrub and dry forest from the south-western United States to Argentina
Birth weight: Born precocial, able to travel with the herd the day after birth
Size at birth: Born precocial
Sexual maturity: 8-14 months
Gestation / incubation: 141-151 days (~145 days, or 21 weeks)
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 6 young per litter (most commonly 2-3)
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 31.5 years

Sources consulted: NHPBS NatureWorks; UWI St. Augustine; AMdirac; Ultimate Ungulate; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); A-Z Animals; PMC (semen antibiotics safety study)