Peccary (family Tayassuidae)

MammalAmericasHerd animal

Overview

Peccaries (family Tayassuidae) are sturdy, pig-like, hoofed mammals of the Americas, ranging from the southern United States down through Central and South America. With their bristly coats, large heads, and short legs, they look very much like wild pigs and are often called “javelinas” or “skunk pigs.” But despite the resemblance, peccaries are not true pigs: they belong to their own New World family, with several anatomical differences from the pigs and boars of the Old World.

The collared peccary (Dicotyles tajacu), shown here, is the most widespread species. Peccaries live in social herds and are well known for the strong, musky scent produced by a gland on the back, which gives the “skunk pig” nickname.

Note: “peccary” covers a family of species; details here use the collared peccary as a reference. Treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Peccaries occupy a wide range of habitats across the Americas — deserts and dry scrub (where the collared peccary thrives among cacti), tropical rainforest, dry forest, grassland, and wetlands. Different species favour different environments, from the arid country of the southwestern United States and Mexico to the rainforests and swamps of South America, and some readily live around farmland and towns.

Diet

Peccaries are omnivores with a largely plant-based diet: roots, bulbs, fruit, seeds, and green vegetation, famously including prickly-pear cactus pads (spines and all) in dry regions, along with some invertebrates and small animals. Their tough mouths and digestive systems let them process fibrous, spiny, and otherwise hard-to-eat plants that many other animals avoid.

Behavior

Peccaries are social animals that live in herds — from small family bands to, in the white-lipped peccary, large groups of dozens or even hundreds. A scent gland on the lower back produces a strong, musky secretion that herd members rub on each other and on objects, marking territory and keeping the group bonded and recognisable by smell (hence “skunk pig”). They communicate with grunts and tooth-clacking, and can be bold in defending the group, sometimes forming a line against predators. They are active by day and night depending on species and climate, and they root and forage across their range.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Peccaries are hunted for meat and hides in many areas and can come into conflict with people by raiding crops and gardens, especially the adaptable collared peccary, which lives close to some towns. The collared peccary remains common and widespread, but other species — notably the white-lipped peccary and the giant peccary — are declining and of conservation concern due to habitat loss and overhunting. They are wild animals and, in a defensive herd, can be formidable, so they should be observed at a respectful distance and not fed. Consult the IUCN Red List for species-specific status.

More photos of the peccary