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The collared peccary resembles a pig-like creature. It has four hoofed toes on the front feet, but only three on the hind feet. It has a short pig-like snout, and crushing molars. It has a mixed gray coat with black legs and a white collar around its neck. It weighs up to 30-50 lbs. It is 1 and a half feet tall and 1 to 2 feet long. The collared peccary is an omnivore which means it eats both animals and plants. Peccaries mostly eat roots, seeds, fruit, cacti, tubers, bulbs, and will occasionally eat insects and rodents. At times, the peccary will lick and eat dirt for minerals. Peccaries travel in herds from 6-30. They don't seem to have a leader for the pack. However the males usually run the herd. The enemies of the collared peccary are the bobcats and coyotes. Usually, the male sacrifices itself to give time for the young to escape and the females, too. The male usually gets killed. The peccary lives in the desert, rain forests, grasslands, and deciduous forests. |
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While at the Utica Zoo, we observed that the collared peccary did not make much movement at all. At the zoo, the collared peccary is kept in a barn - like shelter with some hay and a few logs. It did come out of its shelter once, but only partially. It makes sort of a grunting, chomping noise, and if startled, a hissing noise. The peccary had 2 fences around its den. This may mean that the peccary is a strong animal. The collared peccary got its name from the white collar around its neck. |
The collared peccary's niche is to provide food for its herd and young and also for other larger animals. It also cleans up the earth when it scavenges for food. Collared peccaries' habitats include parts of South America to Mexico. They are able to live in both wet and dry rain forests as well as grasslands and deciduous forests. |
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The collared peccary has many adaptations to its environment. Some may include its slender legs for running fast as well as hooves for protection against its predators. Also, it has scent glands for scent-marking each member of its herd (family). Another one of its adaptations is the peccary's flat cartilaginous disk at the tip of its nose. This is used for lifting and turning over logs and rooting in the ground in search of food. |
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This is our hand-drawn food web of the collared peccary. The arrows pointing to the peccary mean that it eats that specific food. The arrows pointing to the coyotes (wild dogs) and bobcats mean that they eat the peccary. These enemies are the only ones that the peccary has. |
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The collared peccary occupies many different environments. Some may include deserts, grasslands, and rain forests. Being in captivity we think is harming this animal in many ways. When kept in the zoo, the collared peccary is not able to run around or be with its herd. There are also its upsides which include they always have food to eat, and they do not have to worry about predators. But in the long run, we would say it is harming the animal more than helping it. |
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"Collared Peccary." Academic American Encyclopedia. 1995 ed. "Collared Peccary." International Wildlife Encyclopedia. 1969 ed. "Collared Peccary." The World Book Encyclopedia. 1995 ed. |