The white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari ) is a species of peccary found in Central and South America and the only member of the genus Tayassu. Multiple subspecies have been identified. White-lipped peccaries are similar in appearance to pigs, but 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' 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, although it can be dangerous, as white-lipped peccaries can be aggressive. It is done for both their hide and meat.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
A frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts, and seeds. Approx...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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NomadicNomadic animals regularly move to and from the same areas within a well-defined range. Most animals travel in groups in search of better territorie...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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HerdingA herd is a social grouping of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withWhite-lipped peccaries are generally brown or black in color. Their coat is bristly and hairs that run down the spine make a crest, which stands up when the peccary becomes excited. Peccaries have a round body with a long snout. They have white markings that start below the snout and run to the cheek area just below the eyes. Young peccaries are grey, reddish, or dark in color, sometimes with a white throat.
White-lipped peccaries are found in Central and South America. They are native to Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. These animals live in dense, humid, tropical forests, and can also be found in a wide range of other habitats such as dry forests, grasslands, mangroves, Cerrado, and dry xerophytic areas.
White-lipped peccaries are active during the day, more specifically in the mornings and afternoons. They live in herds that number 20-300 individuals, including both males and females, and cases have been reported of herds reaching 2000 peccaries. These animals can spend up to two-thirds of their day traveling and feeding. They also like to wallow in the mud. Often, peccaries can be smelled before seen because they give off a skunk-like odor. When these animals roam in their range land, they can be very loud, clattering their teeth and grunting to one another to communicate and stay within the herd. They communicate with olfactory, acoustic, and physical contact to keep together in the herd. When cornered or feel threatened White-lipped peccaries become aggressive; they give off a loud “bark” and show off their teeth in an attempt to avoid conflict.
White-lipped peccaries are omnivores and feed on fruits, nuts, vegetation, and small amounts of animal matter.
Little is known about the mating system in White-lipped peccaries. These animals can breed throughout the year depending on location. The breeding season is extremely variable due to the fruiting season and consists of two distinct peaks in areas such as Costa Rica, one occurring in February and one in July. Mexico has distinct breeding seasons in April and November. Females give birth to 1-4 piglets after the gestation period that lasts around 156-162 days. Piglets can run within a few hours after birth and are weaned by six months of age. They become reproductively mature between one and two years of age.
The main threats to White-lipped peccaries' survival are deforestation and hunting. Destruction and subdivision of their natural range can have devastating effects on their population. Loss of habitat can lead to exposure for poachers, who can easily kill many peccaries at one time.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the White-lipped peccary total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...