Habitat
Collared peccaries can be found in a large variety of habitats extending from central Texas and Arizona to northern Argentina (Nowak, 1999)., depending on the geographic area that serves as home. Peccaries dwell in any place from desert scrub, woodlands, and rainforest. Winter is often spent in limestone caves if they are available in the region. Due to the harsh temperatures in many of these areas, peccaries are nocturnal animals, seeking shelter under shade trees or rocks in the middle of the day when the sun rays are most damaging (Nowak, 1999). Only at intermediate temperatures do peccaries show the most activity (Green et al., 2001). In fact, the temperature of the climes in which peccaries live plays a role in habitat selection. The animals favored locations characterized by a considerably large sized canopy (Green et al., 2001). Occasionally these areas contained steep rock faces with boulder outcroppings. The caves and stone protrusions jutting out from the rock faces can additionally benefit collared peccaries in their search for relief from the extreme climate. The peccaries also use the earth features to hide themselves from predators (Green et al., 2001). Peccaries tended to avoid inhabiting areas lacking in boulder outcroppings. One can observe collared peccaries in grasslands, yet this is not normal due to the deficiency of overhead vegetation cover.
Diet
The sustenance of collared peccaries depends on the availability of vegetation throughout its geographically large range, as well as on the particular season. Collared peccaries will eat fruits, roots, bulbs, greens, acorns, nuts, and berries (Leopold, 1959). Those peccaries that make their home in the Amazonian rainforest eat a majority of reproductive parts of the plants they consume, as opposed to the vegetative parts (Kiltie, 1981). In Southern Texas, the prickly pear cactus is the most chosen food of collared peccaries. Peccaries that live in this region also feed on grasses, based on their availability during the year, as well as on a variety of fruits. Elsewhere in the southern part of the United States, peccaries eat prickly pear cactus pads and fruits, along with the century plant. The peccaries have also been observed eating beans, berries, and tubers (Eddy 1961). Occasionally, peccaries will catch snakes and other small vertebrates (Novak, 1999).
The diet of the peccary changes considerably throughout the year. During the hot, dry months of summer, the prickly pear cactus and browse are consumed more, while in the transitional months of March and October, peccaries eat prickly pear cactus and forbs with equal frequency. In the winter month of January, however, peccaries ate primarily forbs (Corn & Warren, 1985). Although the prickly pear is not nutritiously fulfilling, it is a very important source of water, which explains the peccaries’ preference for it in the dry summertime.
Predators
Despite its menacing looking tusks and aggressive defensive behavior, peccaries do fall prey to wild dogs, coyotes, and bobcats (Novak, 1999). Pumas are also known to hunt peccaries, which consist of 11% of the large cats’ diet (Rosas-Rosas et al., 2003). Young peccaries are most often the victims of attacks by these wild feline and canine predators. The males in the herd, however, sacrifice themselves for the sake of the young and the females, so that they may run away to safety (CyberZoo, 1997). Speed is certainly an advantageous characteristic of the peccary in this situation, and some animals have been recorded at speeds up to 35 kmh (Novak, 1999). In spite of threat from predators, peccaries do not make an active attempt to change their habitat for this reason. They will not move into regions ravaged by wildfire simply because coyotes are occupying the area that was spared and thus more lush with vegetation (O’Brien et al., 2005).
Back to Top
This website was completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Biology 323, Animal Behavior, at Davidson College in the spring Semester 2008.
Site created by Chris Goldrick
