White-lipped Peccary

About the White-lipped Peccary

The white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) is a species of peccary found in Central and South America and the only extant member of the genus Tayassu. Multiple subspecies have been identified. White-lipped peccaries are similar in appearance to pigs, but with some distinct differences. Males don't have upward-pointing tusks, and both males and females are covered in dark hair (except on certain regions, such as the throat, where it is cream). The range of T. pecari, which extends from Mexico to Argentina, has become fragmented, and the species's population is declining overall (especially in Mexico and Central America). They can be found in a variety of habitats. Social animals, white-lipped peccaries typically forage in large groups, which can have as many as 300 peccaries.

They are an important part of their ecosystem and multiple efforts are being made to preserve them in the wild. Not all disappearances are explained, but human activities play a role, with two major threats being deforestation and hunting; the latter is very common in rural areas. They are hunted for both their hide and meat.

The white-lipped peccary was first described by Johann Heinrich Friedrich... Wikipedia →