Tayassuidae

Tayassuidae is a small family of hoofed mammals in the order Artiodactyla, commonly known as peccaries or javelinas. They are New World relatives of pigs (Suidae) and are adapted to a variety of habitats from deserts to tropical forests. The family presently contains three extant species in three genera: Pecari tajacu (collared peccary), Tayassu pecari (white-lipped peccary), and Catagonus wagneri (Chacoan peccary).

Peccaries are generally stocky, with coarse fur and a short, blunt snout. They possess prominent tusk-like canines that grow continuously and curve upward, especially in males. Their teeth and digestive systems are suited to a mixed diet, making them omnivorous; they feed on fruits, seeds, tubers, roots, and occasionally small invertebrates or vertebrates. They have a keen sense of smell and are highly social, often forming organized herds that range in size from a few individuals to several dozen.

Geographically, collared peccaries inhabit a wide band across the Americas, from the southwestern United States through Central America and into parts of South America, including arid and semi-arid regions. White-lipped peccaries prefer tropical forests and range from Central America to northern Argentina. The Chacoan peccary, once thought extinct in the wild, is native to the Gran Chaco of Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina and was the subject of notable conservation and reintroduction efforts.

Ecology and behavior are characterized by group life, cooperative foraging, and vocal communication. Reproduction is seasonal in many populations, with females giving birth to small litters after a gestation of about five months. Peccaries play important roles as seed dispersers and as prey for larger predators; their status varies by species and region, with habitat loss and hunting affecting some populations.