Chacoan Peccaries

Scientific name	Catagonius wagneri
Global distribution	Gran Chaco of southeastern Bolivia, Paraguay and Northern Argentina
Habitat	Semi arid thorn forest and steepe
Conservation status	Endangered by the IUCN and on the appendix 1 of the CITES Probably only 7-10 thousands individuals left.
Physical characteristics	Body size male		Head and body length of about 900 – 1,112 mm Shoulder height 520 – 690 mm
	Weight		29.5 – 40 kg
	Colouring		Brownish gray, there is a faint collar of lighter hairs across the shoulders and a black mid-dorsal stripe
	Hair		Hair can be made erectile when excited.
	Piglet colouring
	Tail		6-9 tail vertebrae(Suids 20-23) 24 – 102 mm
Side view			Front view		Rear view
Anatomical points	Peculiarities	Legs are long and slim and the hooves are small. There are four digits on the forefoot, the two lateral ones being reduced and do not touch the ground. There are two functional digits on the hind foot. There is no median digit on the back of the hind foot. The third and fourth foot bones are united at their proximal ends (as in ruminants – but not suids). Elongated snout, longer than other peccaries The stomach is two chambered but more complex than in Suids but none ruminating.
	Glands	Scent gland 75 mm in diameter and 125 mm thick on the rump in front of the tail. Emits a specific odour.
	Dental formulae	(i 2/3, c 1/1, pm 3/3, m 3/3) x 2 = 38 Upper canines form tusks, directed downwards not outwards or upwards as in Suidae, and they are generally shorter. Tusks are more slender. Tusks average length is 40 mm. There is a space between the canines and premolars The premolars increase in size to first to last. The molars have square crowns with four cusps The molars are high crowned (hypsodont) rather than low crowned (bunodont).
Behaviour points	Maturing age			2 years of age in males
	Mating ritual
	Seasonal breeding			Mating occurs in April and May with the young being born in August and September (early spring)
	Oestrus period
	Gestation period
	Litter size and lactation			1-4, usually 2-3
	Lactation			4 pairs of mammae
	Weaning age
	Family groups			Lives in groups of 1-10, usually 4-5 multiple ages and both sexes. Appears to be no dominance hierarchy
	Cooling behaviour			Mud and soil baths
	Peak activity			It is cursorial and largely diurnal with peak activity in the late morning.
	Range			1,095 – 1,551 ha and travel 2.2 km per day. Population density of 0.43/ sq km but other reports up to 9.21/ sq km.
Diet	Depends on browsing for food. Legume seeds, roots and cacti, possibly carrion and may prey on small mammals. Questions about the need to drink have been asked.
Diseases/ disorders