Known only from fossils until 1972, when a living population was found in the Chaco thorn forest. Indigenous Wichí people had known the species all along and hunted it for centuries.
Dave Pape, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A Lazarus taxon in the thorn forest
In 1930, the scientific world learned of Catagonus wagneri, a species of peccary described from fossil remains. For over four decades, it was considered an extinct animal, another casualty of the Pleistocene epoch. This classification changed dramatically in the early 1970s. A team of biologists led by Dr. Ralph M. Wetzel was conducting research in the Gran Chaco, a vast, semi-arid lowland spanning parts of Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia. In 1971, while in Paraguay, the team encountered an animal unknown to Western science but familiar to the Indigenous people of the region, who called it the taguá. This "new" animal was the supposedly extinct Chacoan peccary, alive and well.
The rediscovery placed the Chacoan peccary on the exclusive list of "Lazarus taxa," species first described from the fossil record before being found alive. The local knowledge of Indigenous groups like the Wichí proved essential, showing a species that had been successfully hunted and managed outside of scientific notice for centuries. The official scientific announcement of the living peccary came in a 1975 paper, confirming its existence in the remote, thorny forests of the Chaco.
Biology of a unique survivor
The Chacoan peccary is the largest of the three known peccary species, a family of mammals often called New World pigs. Adults can weigh up to 40 kilograms (88 pounds) and stand nearly 70 centimeters (2.2 feet) at the shoulder. Several features distinguish it from its relatives, the collared and white-lipped peccaries. It has noticeably longer ears, a larger snout, and a longer tail. It also possesses three toes on its hind feet, while other peccaries have only two. Its coarse, bristle-like fur is a mottled brown-gray, with a distinct collar of white fur across the shoulders.
This animal is uniquely adapted to its harsh environment. The Gran Chaco is a hot and dry region dominated by thorny scrub and cacti. The peccary's primary food source is cacti from genera such as Opuntia. It uses its tough snout to roll the cactus pads on the ground, removing many of the sharp spines before eating. Specialized kidneys allow it to process the acids from the cacti, and its two-chambered stomach is suited for digesting tough vegetation. They live in social herds of up to ten individuals and communicate with a range of grunts and teeth chatters. The current wild population is estimated to be around 3,000 individuals, and the species is classified as Endangered by the IUCN due to habitat loss and hunting.
💡Fun Facts
The Chacoan peccary has a unique chromosome number among living peccaries: 2n=20.
The species has a dorsal scent gland which it uses to mark territory and identify members of its social group.
In a defensive maneuver, a herd will line up in a wall, raise the long bristles on their backs, and chatter their teeth at a threat.
the Gran Chaco, where the peccary lives, is the second-largest forest in South America and one of the most rapidly deforested areas on the planet.
The Gran Chaco is a vast, unfenced natural region. It has no opening hours.
Admission
Free. Access to specific areas may be on private land or within national parks that have their own regulations.
Accessibility
The terrain is difficult. The region is semi-arid, with dense thorn forests and few paved roads. Travel into peccary habitat requires a 4x4 vehicle and is best undertaken with experienced local guides.
