Chacoan Peccary
(Catagonus wagneri)
Facts
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IUCN ENDANGERED (EN)
Facts about this animal
The Chacoan Peccary is a pig-like species with a rump gland in both sexes. The head-body length is 96-117 cm, the height at the shoulder 52-69 cm. It weights 30-43 kg. The coat is grizzled grey with a whitish band diagonally from the middle of the back to the chest. There is no sexual dimorphism. The gestation probably lasts some five months and the litter size is one to four. The female has three or four pairs of mammae.
The Chacoan Peccary was discovered as a living species only in 1972.
Did you know?
that these animals are also called Giant Peccaries or Taguas?They appear to be cousins of collard peccaries or javelinas found from Argentina to the southern United States.
| Factsheet | |
|---|---|
| Class | MAMMALIA |
| Order | ARTIODACTYLA |
| Suborder | NONRUMINANTIA |
| Family | TAYASSUIDAE |
| Name (Scientific) | Catagonus wagneri |
| Name (English) | Chacoan Peccary |
| Name (French) | Pécari du Chaco |
| Name (German) | Chaco-Pekari |
| Name (Spanish) | Chaco argentino |
| Local names | Tagua, Chancho quimilero |
| CITES Status | Appendix I |
| CMS Status | Not listed |
Photo Copyright by
Dave Pape
Distribution
| Distribution | |
|---|---|
| Range | Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay |
| Habitat | Semi-arid thorn forest, savannah plains and marshes in areas of low rainfall and high temperature |
| Wild population | Unknown, but decreasing (Red List IUCN 2011) |
| Zoo population | 41 reported to ISIS |
In the Zoo
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How this animal should be transported
For air transport, Container Note 74 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations, should be followed.
Find this animal on ZooLex
Photo Copyright by
Tim Vickers
Why do zoos keep this animal
The Chacoan peccary is an endangered species in the wild. All animals kept outside the species' natural range are located in North America, where a Species Survival Plan has been drawn up by AZA. This is a cooperative breeding programme, with a number of zoos working together to ensure the survival of the species.