Collared peccaries, otherwise known as javelinas or by their more colorful title of musk hogs, are native pig-like residents of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts of the Southwest U.S., from southern Arizona to southwest Texas. They and other peccary species are also found southward through Mexico, Central American and most of South America. All are descendents of a Eurasian ancestor that split from the common pig lineage back in the Eocene, some 50 million years ago.
Living in herds of up to 50 individuals (10-20 is typical), collared peccaries roam the canyons and arroyos of the Desert Southwest, under the control of a dominant male. He breeds with females in the group throughout the year and pregnant females temporarily leave the herd to deliver their young (usually 2) in a den or hollow log. Older sisters help to raise their new siblings and newborn females are sexually mature within a year.
Thinner and longer-legged than common pigs, collared peccaries have a coarse coat of gray-brown hair with a darker mane down their back and a lighter ring around their neck; while their eyesight is rather poor, these desert residents have a keen sense of smell. Short, sharp tusks offer some protection from predators (mountain lions, coyotes, bobcats) but their aggressive nature and group mentality provide their best defence. Omnivorous, peccaries feed on a variety of plant materials (prickly pear cactus and agaves are favored) but also consume eggs, reptiles and carrion; avoiding the heat of mid-day, they usually forage in the early morning and evening hours. The name "musk hog" is derived from the potent musk gland on their upper rump which they use to mark their territory and one another.
