Chacoan Peccary (Catagonus wagneri) Fact Sheet: Managed Care

• First zoological collection known to exhibit the Chacoan peccary outside its natural range was Berlin Zoo in 1977-1978 (ML Jones, personal communication).
• Since 1985, Proyecto Taguá in the Paraguayan Chaco has maintained the largest collection of Chacoan peccaries in managed care. This project was initiated by Kurt Benirschke and has been supported by the Zoological Society of San Diego and Lincoln Park Zoological Society.
• Phoenix Zoo was the first in North America to exhibit the species, receiving 10 animals from Proyecto Taguá in 1996.
• San Diego Zoo received 1.3 Chacoan peccaries from Phoenix 8 October 1998, and 1.1 were born 30 May 1999.

• Management and husbandry considerations are reviewed by Kingswood & Brooks (1991) and Shoemaker (1997).
• Chemical immobilization is detailed by Allen (1992).

Breeding under managed care is part of conservation efforts to protect the endangered Chacoan peccary.

Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.

Watch the social interactions among these young peccaries at the San Diego Zoo.

© San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.

Allen (1992)
Benirschke & Heuschele (1993)
Kingswood & Brooks (1991)
Shoemaker (1997)
Unger (1999)