| White-lipped peccary | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Tayassuidae |
| Genus: | Tayassu Fischer von Waldheim, 1814 |
| Species: | T. pecari |
| Binomial name | |
| Tayassu pecari (Link, 1795) | |
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| Range of the white-lipped peccary (note that theCentral American part of its range is much more fragmented in actuality and that its presence inEl Salvador is erroneous) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Thewhite-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) is aspecies ofpeccary found inCentral andSouth America and the only member of thegenusTayassu.[note 1] Multiplesubspecies have been identified. White-lipped peccaries are similar in appearance topigs, but covered in dark hair (except on certain regions, such as the throat, where it iscream). The range ofT. pecari, which extends fromMexico toArgentina, 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 theirecosystem and multiple efforts are being made to preserve them in the wild. Not all disappearances are explained, buthuman activities play a role, with two major threats beingdeforestation andhunting; the latter is very common in rural areas, although it can be dangerous, as white-lipped peccaries can be aggressive. They are hunted for both theirhide andmeat.
The white-lipped peccary was first described byJohann Heinrich Friedrich Link in 1795 asSus pecari. It was moved into themonotypic genusTayassu byGotthelf Fischer von Waldheim in 1814.[7][8]
There are five recognized subspecies:[7]
Thefossil record ofT. pecari is limited.[9] It has existed since at least thePliocene.[8] Fossils from theLate Pleistocene suggest a different distribution during this time, being mostly found in more southern areas (such as theBuenos Aires Province of Argentina). Based on the other species that coexisted with it during this period, the central-northern Buenos Aires Province was likelyarid orsemi-arid in the Late Pleistocene.[9]
The white-lipped peccary is capable of producing offspring with thecollared peccary (Dicotyles tajacu), another member of thepeccary family. This has been recorded at theLondon Zoo andManaus Zoo, but never in the wild.[10]
The white-lipped peccary is a piglikeungulate, covered in dark hair, which iscream on certain parts of the underside, such as the throat and pelvic regions.[10] Adult white-lipped peccaries can reach a length of 90–135 cm (35–53 in). Their height is about 90 cm (35 in), measured from theshoulder. They usually weigh 27–40 kg (60–88 lb), but can grow even larger. There is no obvioussexual dimorphism, but males have longercanine teeth than females.[5] They possess ascent gland, which is found at the posterior middorsal region.[10]
The white-lipped peccary is native toArgentina,Belize,Bolivia,Brazil,Colombia,Costa Rica,Ecuador,French Guiana,Guatemala,Guyana,Honduras,Mexico,Nicaragua,Panama,Paraguay,Peru,Suriname, andVenezuela. It is regionally extinct inEl Salvador.[1] White-lipped peccaries thrive in dense, humid, tropical forests. They can also be found in a wide range of other habitats, such asdry forests,grasslands,mangroves, and dryxerophytic areas, as well as theCerradoecoregion of Brazil.[1] They range from sea level to an altitude of 1,900 m (6,200 ft).[1] Their range overlaps with that of the collared peccary.[11]
A 2018 study found that they had disappeared from 87% of their historical range inMesoamerica (which the study defined as everywhere between southern Mexico and Panama), and were in "critical condition" in the seven Mesoamerican countries they still inhabited.[12] Studies by theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature found similar information, with a reported decline of 89% in Costa Rica and 84% in Mexico and Guatemala.[13]
White-lipped peccaries generally move from place to place in large herds. UnlikeD. tajacu, which travels single-file,T. pecari moves in broad groups.[5] Group sizes can range from under ten (while uncommon, groups as small as five have been recorded[1]) to as many as 300. Especially large groups are rarer now than they were historically, due to the declining population ofT. pecari.[12] The average group size in a fragmented area of theAtlantic Forest was found to be around 42, although herds frequently come into contact with one another and interbreed.[1] Juvenile peccaries have been found to make up no more than 20% of herds in studies.[5]
As mentioned previously, the range ofT. pecari overlaps with that ofD. tajacu. This overlap is significant, with both found in similar habitats across theNeotropics. A study published in 1982 found that the former'sbite force is at least 1.3 times as great as that of the collared peccary. This may help to explain how the two manage to coexist over such a large area, as the study also found that they consumed different kinds of seeds and nuts when foraging in the same area. The measured resistance of these seeds and nuts was found to be consistent with the bite forces of the two peccary species.[6]
They can produce screaming noises and clack their teeth when they travel in herds, which allows them to be heard from hundreds of meters away facilitating "group coherence" and intimidating potential predators. In common with other peccaries,GBIF writes that "their vocal repertoire includes low-frequency barking, growling, moaning, high-pitched squealing, and tooth clacking."[14]
White-lipped peccaries forage for food, frequently doing so incoastal areas or near other bodies of water. Most of their diet is made up of fruit, although it is supplemented with additional foods, such as other parts ofplants (which can includenuts),fungi, invertebrates (includingsnails), and even fish on occasion. They consume over 140 different species of plants from over 30 families across their range.[1][15] While not as frequently, they are also known to feed onearthworms,eggs, smallvertebrates, andcarrion.[11]
White-lipped peccaries are an important prey for large felines.[1] When in large groups they can—and have been known to—drive awayjaguars with their loudvocalizations.[11][16]
T. pecari breeds year-round. Theestrus cycle generally lasts about 18—21 days. After agestation period of about 158 days, two young are usually born. They are capable of moving with the rest of the herd just hours afterbirth.[5]
The white-lipped peccary is listed asvulnerable by the IUCN. Its population is currently decreasing, despite protective measures.[1] It is also listed on Appendix II onCITES and has been listed there since 1987.[17]
The white-lipped peccary faces numerous threats. The large amount of space they require makes them very threatened bydeforestation. They are highly dependent onprotected areas to keep their habitat safe from human activity. When their habitat becomes fragmented, they are at more risk of beinghunted by humans, as their tendency to move in large herds makes them easy to spot. Hunters can kill many at once.[15] Even light hunting can be a threat in areas with limited resources and naturally lower population densities. In several areas of Brazil, seemingly healthy populations have become locally extinct. Their population has declined about 30% in the last 18 years, with current estimates suggesting a similar trend going into the future.[1] Unexplained disappearances have been documented in multiple areas and are suspected to be caused bydisease.[13]
The white-lipped peccary already occurs in multiple protected areas, including theWorld Land Trust supported Güisayote Biological Reserve in Honduras[18] andManú National Park of Peru.[19] However, that alone may not be enough to keep it alive in all the habitat types it is naturally found in. IUCN has suggested new limitations by CITES to restrict the trade ofhides andpelts. Research on their population has increased in recent years, although there are still areas in need of study.[1] Although Peru is very active in the trading of peccary hides, which are tanned in Peru and sold to European businesses to makeshoes andgloves,[1] theWildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has worked in Peru since 1980 to keep hunting sustainable and monitor populations.[20]
T. pecari is frequently hunted by both theindigenous and non-indigenous residents of its habitat. Their meat, which is described by theFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as "white" and "abundant" is sold and consumed in rural communities, where peccaries (both white-lipped and collared) are importantgame animals.[1][5] While easy to locate, due to their loud nature and tendency to travel in herds, white-lipped peccaries can be dangerous to hunt—they are known to killdogs—and are typically hunted in groups. They generally stand their ground when attacked; as such, multiple individuals can be killed before the herd flees. Their scent gland is usually removed just after killing to avoid negatively affecting the taste of their meat.[5] Peru permits their subsistence hunting in settlements with under 3,000 inhabitants.[1]
