# Chacoan Peccary (*Catagonus wagneri*) The Chacoan Peccary is a special pig-like animal that lives in the dry forests of South America. They have thick fur and love to dig in the ground for tasty roots and fruits. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Dry forests ![Chacoan Peccary](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Catagonus_wagneri_1_-_Phoenix_Zoo.jpg&width=800) Photo: Dave Pape, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Catagonus_wagneri_1_-_Phoenix_Zoo.jpg) ## Appearance The Chacoan Peccary has coarse, bristly grayish-brown fur and a distinctive white collar stripe around its neck. Its head is proportionally larger than other peccaries, ending in a flexible, pig-like snout. They possess longer legs and smaller, erect ears, uniquely adapted for dry scrublands. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Artiodactyla - **Family:** Tayassuidae - **Genus:** Catagonus ## Interesting facts - Baby peccaries are strong, running with their group just hours after birth! - For decades, scientists thought the Chacoan Peccary was extinct, until it was rediscovered! - Their long tusks point down, unlike pigs whose tusks curve up! - These peccaries rub their scent glands on each other to form a unique, shared group smell! ## Special abilities - **Scent Marker:** Chacoan Peccary can rub scent glands on objects to mark its territory, which helps them communicate with other peccaries. - **Desert Eater:** Chacoan Peccary has powerful teeth and jaws that help them chew tough, thorny desert plants like cacti. - **Water Finder:** Chacoan Peccary can sniff out underground water sources using its amazing sense of smell, helping them survive dry times. - **Thorny Armor:** Chacoan Peccary has a coarse, bristly coat that protects its skin from sharp thorns in its scrubland home. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 90-110 cm - **Weight:** 29-42 kg - **Lifespan:** 9-14 years - **Speed:** 48 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-4 - **Gestation:** 150-156 days ## Diet & Feeding They mainly munch on tough desert plants, especially cacti, using their strong jaws and teeth. - **Primary Foods:** cacti, roots, tubers, fruits, grasses - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Jaguar](https://www.snappit.app/explore/jaguar) (*Panthera onca*) — Adult peccaries can be hunted by this apex predator. - **Eaten by:** Puma (*Puma concolor*) — Pumas are known to prey on Chacoan Peccaries in their range. - **Eats:** [Prickly Pear Cactus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/prickly-pear-cactus) (*Opuntia ficus-indica*) — A primary food source, providing both food and water. - **Depends on:** Quebracho Blanco (*Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco*) — Provides shade and shelter in the harsh Chaco environment. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always watch from a distance and do not try to touch wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Chacoan Peccary? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Chacoan Peccary? 90-110 cm ### How much does Chacoan Peccary weigh? 29-42 kg ### How long does Chacoan Peccary live? 9-14 years ### How fast can Chacoan Peccary move? 48 km/h ### What does Chacoan Peccary eat? They mainly munch on tough desert plants, especially cacti, using their strong jaws and teeth. ### Where is Chacoan Peccary usually found? Dry forests ### How does Chacoan Peccary hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Happy Hollow Park & Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/happy-hollow-park-and-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Queens Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/queens-zoo) — New York, US · Zoo - [Sara D. Roosevelt Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sara-d-roosevelt-park) — New York, US · Park [View all places to see Chacoan Peccary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/chacoan-peccary) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Chacoan Peccary: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/chacoan-peccary)