Trivia question for Mar-13-2011

Olivia looked for quite awhile before she decided on this odd looking mammal.  Lets see how many of you have heard of these guys before.  So fierce are these guys that according to local farmers, the only way a jaguar will even consider trying to kill one of these is when they are not near a group.

These guys have a vocabulary which includes and aggressive ‘laughing’ call during confrontations, and a coughing sound for keeping the group together in vegetation.   The powerful scent secreted from their rump glands has earned the species an alternative name.

These guys usually live in groups of one to twenty individuals, averaging between six and nine members. They frequently sleep at night in burrows, often under the roots of trees.  They are a widespread creature that can be found throughout much of the tropical and subtropical Americas, ranging from the Southwestern United States to northern Argentina in South America. The only Caribbean island it is native to, however, is Trinidad, although introduced populations exist in Cuba

So here are Olivia’s questions:  What is this wiry looking critter and what is its nickname?  Also tell us if these guys are herbivores or omnivores?

Good Luck 😉

Answer:

Congratulations to John for getting the trivia correct and for being first to do so.  Thanks to everyone for sending in your answers.  The critter we featured is a Collared Peccary which may look like they might belong to the pig family, although somewhat related to the pigs and frequently referred to as one, this species and the other Peccaries are no longer classified in the pig family.

They are commonly referred to as javelina, saíno or báquiro, although these terms are also used to describe other species in the family.  The species is also known as the Musk hog (because of their powerful scent) and Mexican hog. In Trinidad, it is colloquially known as quenk.

And John, you were also correct about these guys being Omnivores.  Collared peccaries normally feed on fruits, roots, tubers, palm nuts, and grasses, but they will also eat invertebrates and small vertebrates.  In areas inhabited by humans, they will also consume cultivated crops and ornamental plants, such as tulip bulbs.  Here is more on these smelly guys: Collared Peccary

Thanks for playing along 😉