Species › Mammals › Collared Peccary

Collared Peccary

Pecari tajacu

CommonMammal
Illustration of Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu)

The Collared Peccary, or Javelina, is a pig-like ungulate that lives in cohesive social groups of up to 25 individuals who communicate through a prominent scent gland on the rump. Despite resembling pigs, peccaries belong to a completely separate New World family and have notable tusks used for defense and rooting. They can digest tough, spiny cacti thanks to a complex three-chambered stomach.

Habitat
Sonoran Desert, shrublands, and tropical dry forests
Diet
Prickly pear cactus, roots, berries, and small animals
How common
Common

Best time to see a Collared Peccary

The best time to see a Collared Peccary is November–April, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 10,290 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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