Оңтүстік және Орталық Американың ақ ерінді шошқасы

Species of mammals belonging to the peccary family of even toed ungulates

The white lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) is a species of peccary found in Central and South America and the only member of the genus Tayassu. Although identified by the American Society of Mammalogists as Dicotyles tajacu, some sources incorrectly describe the collared peccary as another member of Tayassu. Multiple subspecies have been identified. White lipped peccaries are similar in appearance to pigs, but covered in dark hair (except on certain regions, such as the throat, where it is cream). The range of T. pecari, which extends from Mexico to Argentina, has become fragmented, and the species's population is declining overall (especially in Mexico and Central America). They can be found in a variety of habitats. Social animals, white lipped peccaries typically forage in large groups, which can have as many as 300 peccaries. They are an important part of their ecosystem and multiple efforts are being made to preserve them in the wild. Not all disappearances are explained, but human activities play a role, with two major threats being deforestation and hunting; the latter is very common in rural areas, although it can be dangerous, as white lipped peccaries can be aggressive. They are hunted for both their hide and meat.

The white lipped peccary was first described by Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link in 1795 as Sus pecari. It was moved into the monotypic genus Tayassu by Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim in 1814. It has existed since at least the Pliocene. Fossils from the Late Pleistocene suggest a different distribution during this time, being mostly found in more southern areas (such as the Buenos Aires Province of Argentina). Based on the other species that coexisted with it during this period, the central northern Buenos Aires Province was likely arid or semi arid in the Late Pleistocene.

The white lipped peccary is a piglike ungulate, covered in dark hair, which is cream on certain parts of the underside, such as the throat and pelvic regions. A 2018 study found that they had disappeared from 87% of their historical range in Mesoamerica (which the study defined as everywhere between southern Mexico and Panama), and were in "critical condition" in the seven Mesoamerican countries they still inhabited. Studies by the International Union for Conservation of Nature found similar information, with a reported decline of 89% in Costa Rica and 84% in Mexico and Guatemala.

White lipped peccaries generally move from place to place in large herds. Unlike D. tajacu, which travels single file, T. pecari moves in broad groups. As mentioned previously, the range of T. pecari overlaps with that of D. tajacu. This overlap is significant, with both found in similar habitats across the Neotropics. A study published in 1982 found that the former's bite force is at least 1.3 times as great as that of the collared peccary. This may help to explain how the two manage to coexist over such a large area, as the study also found that they consumed different kinds of seeds and nuts when foraging in the same area. The measured resistance of these seeds and nuts was found to be consistent with the bite forces of the two peccary species.

White lipped peccaries forage for food, frequently doing so in coastal areas or near other bodies of water. Most of their diet is made up of fruit, although it is supplemented with additional foods, such as other parts of plants (which can include nuts), fungi, invertebrates (including snails), and even fish on occasion. They consume over 140 different species of plants from over 30 families across their range. While not as frequently, they are also known to feed on earthworms, eggs, small vertebrates, and carrion.

T. pecari breeds year round. The estrus cycle generally lasts about 18—21 days. After a gestation period of about 158 days, two young are usually born. They are capable of moving with the rest of the herd just hours after birth.

The white lipped peccary faces numerous threats. The large amount of space they require makes them very threatened by deforestation. They are highly dependent on protected areas to keep their habitat safe from human activity. When their habitat becomes fragmented, they are at more risk of being hunted by humans, as their tendency to move in large herds makes them easy to spot. Hunters can kill many at once. and Manú National Park of Peru. However, that alone may not be enough to keep it alive in all the habitat types it is naturally found in. IUCN has suggested new limitations by CITES to restrict the trade of hides and pelts. Research on their population has increased in recent years, although there are still areas in need of study.

T. pecari is frequently hunted by both the indigenous and non indigenous residents of its habitat. Their meat, which is described by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as "white" and "abundant" is sold and consumed in rural communities, where peccaries (both white lipped and collared) are important game animals. While easy to locate, due to their loud nature and tendency to travel in herds, white lipped peccaries can be dangerous to hunt—they are known to kill dogs—and are typically hunted in groups. They generally stand their ground when attacked; as such, multiple individuals can be killed before the herd flees. Their scent gland is usually removed just after killing to avoid negatively affecting the taste of their meat. Peru permits their subsistence hunting in settlements with under 3,000 inhabitants.