Chacoan Peccary

Facts

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

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.

How this animal should be kept

An outdoor enclosure of no less than 100 m² is required for up to five adults, for each additional adult at least 10 m² should be added. Ideally the enclosure should be larger, the Javelina exhibit comprises an enclosure of 18'000 m² and a holding pen of 360 m².

There should be some shelter to protect the animals from intense sunlight and inclement weather. The soil should allow for rooting and wallowing, and there should be some tree trunks for chafing. Decoration consisting of larger rocks, stems or branches is well used for sketching, hiding or playing.

In temperate and cold climatic zones, an indoor enclosure of at least 2 m² per animal is required where a temparature of at least 10 ºC should be maintained. A partly floor heating can be advantageous for litters born during winter time. A thick straw bedding is suitable. In addition, there should be separation dens of at least 4 m² for pregnant females, females with piglets and incompatible individuals.

Their main diet consists of preferably cooked vegetables, fruit, gras, silage, leaves and hay but also protein such as cooked meat or eggs. Fresh drinking water should be permanently available.