Collared Peccary

Class: Mammals

Order: Artiodactyla

Family: Tayassuidae

Weight: about 25-30 kg

Height: up to 50 cm

Body length: 75-100 cm

Color: brownish-black

Age of sexual maturity: 8-11 months

Gestation period: 141-151 days

Lifespan: up to 13 years

Habitat: Found in North and South America from Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona south to central Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, in arid regions.

Diet: Collared peccaries eat a variety of food, including roots, bulbs, nuts, mushrooms, and occasionally eggs, carrion, small snakes, and frogs.

Did you know?

• These artiodactyls are most active at night but can also be awake during the day, relaxing and gaining strength in their resting places.
• In America, this animal is nicknamed the “musk hog.” This is because they have a gland near the base of their tail that emits a distinctive, unpleasant odor.
• Peccaries do not have a breeding season and can form families whenever they choose.
• Peccaries love being photographed. When a camera is pointed at them, they start posing.