Characteristics
A peccary is a medium-sized animal, with a strong resemblance to pigs. Like pigs, it has a snout ending in a cartilagenous disc, and eyes that are small relative to its head. Also like pigs, it uses only the middle two digits for walking, although, unlike pigs, the other toes may be altogether absent. Its stomach is nonruminating, although it has three chambers, and is more complex than that of pigs.
Peccaries are omnivores, and will eat small animals, although their preferred food consists of roots, grass, seeds, fruit, and cacti—particularly prickly pear cacti. Pigs and peccaries can be differentiated by the shape of the canine tooth, or tusk. In European pigs, the tusk is long and curves around on itself, whereas in peccaries, the tusk is short and straight. The jaws and tusks of peccaries are adapted for crushing hard seeds and slicing into plant roots, and they also use their tusks for defending against predators. The dental formula for peccaries is:
By rubbing the tusks together, they can make a chattering noise that warns potential predators not to get too close. Peccaries are aggressive enough in temperament that, unlike Eurasian pigs, they cannot be domesticated, as they are likely to injure humans. In recent years in northwestern Bolivia near Madidi National Park, large groups of peccaries have been reported to seriously injure or kill people.
Peccaries are social animals, and often form herds. Over 100 individuals have been recorded for a single herd of white-lipped peccaries, but collared and Chacoan peccaries usually form smaller groups. Such social behavior seems to have been the situation in extinct peccaries, as well. The recently discovered giant peccary (Pecari maximus) appears to be less social, primarily living in pairs.
Peccaries have scent glands below each eye and another on their back, though these are believed to be rudimentary in P. maximus. They use the scent to mark herd territories, which range from 75 to 700 acres (2.8 km2). They also mark other herd members with these scent glands by rubbing one against another. The pungent odor allows peccaries to recognize other members of the herd, despite their myopic vision. The odor is strong enough to be picked up by humans, which earns the peccary the nickname of skunk pig.
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