Collared peccary

The collared peccary, also known as the javelina, saíno, báquiro, musk hog, or quenk (in Trinidad), is a remarkable mammal belonging to the Tayassuidae family. You can find these creatures across North, Central, and South America. Despite their resemblance to pigs, they are part of a different family than the domestic pigs we commonly know (Suidae).

Standing about 510–610 mm tall at the shoulder and weighing between 16 and 27 kg, collared peccaries possess small tusks that point downward. Their range extends from the Southwestern United States all the way to northern Argentina. Notably, they were reintroduced to Uruguay in 2017 after having been extinct there for about a century.

Collared peccaries are highly adaptable regarding their habitat. They thrive in deserts, grasslands, savannas, forests, and even urban areas where they sometimes feed on garden plants. As omnivores, their diet includes cactus, fruits, invertebrates, and cultivated crops.

These animals are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day, and they often live in groups that can be as large as 50 individuals. For shelter, they frequently sleep in burrows under trees or in caves. While they typically ignore humans, they can become aggressive if they feel threatened. In such instances, they defend themselves with their tusks and may release a strong musk or bark to deter danger.