Where does the collared peccary live?
The collared peccary lives in the tropical and subtropical Americas, from South and Central America to Mexico and the southern United States, as far as Texas and Arizona. In France, it occurs naturally only in French Guiana. It is very adaptable: it inhabits deserts, tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, shrublands and broadleaf forests. It resembles a pig, but has grey-brown fur. Its ancestors appeared in North America in the Miocene, later migrating to South America.
What does the collared peccary eat?
It normally feeds on cactus, mesquite beans, honey, fruits, berries, seeds, roots, tubers, bulbs, palm nuts, grasses, other green vegetation, fungi and insects. Its main dietary components are agaves and prickly pears. Groups average between six and nine animals, with populations reaching up to 50 individuals.
Is the collared peccary endangered?
No: the IUCN lists it as Least Concern. It weighs 16 to 27 kg. Its main predators include cougars, wolves, coyotes and jaguars. It is also known as the javelina, saíno or musk hog.
