Geographical Range Central South America
Habitat Dry thorn forests with isolated savannahs
Scientific Name Catagonus wagneri
Conservation Status Endangered

This wild pig cousin was discovered only in 1972, making it one of the most recently discovered large mammals. It lives in small herds of three to seven adults and their young.

Peccaries "bond" by rubbing other group members with the smells produced by their scent glands. The numbers of Chacoan peccaries have declined drastically because of hunting and habitat destruction.

Did You Know?

These animals love to eat prickly cactus. They remove the spines by rolling them around with their rubbery snouts!