Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu) lives in dry tropical forest across North, Central, and South America. It feeds on roots and fruits. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Collared Peccary
- At just over half a meter tall, the collared peccary packs a surprising bulk: it stands 51-61 cm (20-24 in) at the shoulder, stretches 1.0-1.5 m (3 ft 3 in, 4 ft 11 in) long, and weighs 16-27 kg (35-60 lb). In the desert corners of Arizona and Peru, some individuals tip the scales at 40-42 kg. This heft lets them dig burrows, fend off predators with their tusks.
- Peccaries form tight-knit herds, sometimes swelling to 50 members but usually clustering in groups of six to nine. A dominant male leads, mates with several females, and protects the clan, while the musk gland on their back sprays a skunk-like scent when alarmed, letting the whole herd know danger is near. This social vigilance and chemical alarm system maintain cohesion across the sprawling deserts and forests they roam.
- From the Sonoran desert to the Amazon lowlands, the collared peccary spans the tropical and subtropical Americas, reaching from the southwestern United States down to northern Argentina. After a century-long disappearance, it was reintroduced to Uruguay in 2017, and today thriving herds even patrol the suburbs of Phoenix and Tucson. Their ability to thrive in deserts, grasslands, forests, and even city backyards.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeNorth, Central, and South America
HabitatDry tropical forest
DietRoots and fruits
About the Collared Peccary
In the scorching deserts and lush forests of the Americas, the collared peccary roams with a quiet confidence, its stout body and sharp tusks a testament to its unyielding adaptability. As it moves through the underbrush, its short legs carry it with a swift, purposeful gait, driven by a keen sense of smell that guides it to the ripest fruits and most succulent roots. With its distinctive collar of white fur and an air of fearless curiosity, this diminutive creature navigates its domain with a humble yet unshakeable authority.
Hear the Collared Peccary, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
