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Collared Peccary
Pecari tajacu
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderArtiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates and Cetaceans)
- FamilyTayassuidae (Peccaries)
- GenusPecari (Javelinas)
- SpeciesPecari tajacu (Collared Peccary)
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
87 Verified sightings at Arenal Volcano National Park From 2019 to 2026
1,644 In all 25 parks
November Best month
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted
About the Collared Peccary
The collared peccary (Dicotyles tajacu) is a peccary, a species of artiodactyl (even-toed) mammal in the family Tayassuidae. It is the only extant member of the genus Dicotyles. They are commonly referred to as javelina, saíno, taitetu, or báquiro, although these terms are also used to describe other species in the family. The species is also known as the musk hog. In Trinidad, it is colloquially known as quenk.
The species is found in the tropical and subtropical Americas. In the Miocene, the first Tayassuids appeared, which would give rise to the modern collared peccary, with these species belonging to the same genus and often being larger than it. It is believed that many of its ancestors initially appeared in North America, later migrating to South America and eventually giving rise to the modern Tayassu (Tayassu tajacu).
The collared peccary stands around 51–61 cm (20–24 in) tall at the shoulder and is about 1.0–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) long. It weighs between 16 and 27 kg (35 and 60 lb). The dental formula is: 2/3,1/1,3/3,3/3. The collared peccary has small tusks that point toward the ground when the animal is upright. It has slender legs with a robust... Wikipedia →
Sounds
Call0:27
Ecuador · 2020
© Manuel Sánchez-Nivicela · XC1027030 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Recording0:15
Colombia · 2025
© Núcleo Palmero Aceites Morichal S.A.S. · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:16
Brazil · 2022
© Matheus M. Santos · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recent sightings of Collared Peccary in Arenal Volcano National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Zoos & Centres Where Found
Closest Relatives at Arenal Volcano National Park
No species of the same family or order lives in Arenal Volcano National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other mammals.
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Collared Peccary in Arenal Volcano National Park?
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Collared Peccary sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park on a given day, based on 87 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 8th most-seen of the 25 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Collared Peccary in Arenal Volcano National Park?
February, May, July and November–December
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Collared Peccary in Arenal Volcano National Park on a given day, against about 10% in October, the lowest month.
What time of day is best to see a Collared Peccary?
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Collared Peccary sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Is Arenal Volcano National Park the best place to see a Collared Peccary?
10th of 25
Of the 25 parks where we can rate Collared Peccary sightings, Arenal Volcano National Park ranks 10th at about 30%. The best odds are in Braulio Carrillo National Park (Costa Rica, about 70%), Corcovado National Park (Costa Rica, about 50%) and Big Bend National Park (United States, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Where does the Collared Peccary sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Collared Peccary is recorded against all the mammals logged in Arenal Volcano National Park (87 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
