externally resembles the old-terrestrial pigs (family Suidae) the navel-pigs.
Back-gland The name refers to a gland, that is on the rear third of the back. This back-gland consists of an Einstülpung of the skin, that is amply equipped with tallow-glands and tastempfindlichen nerves. The glandular-secretion serves the scent-marking. Since navel-pigs often rub together with the glandular-region, is to be assumed that the scent-materials serve the social contact.
Denture Downward, the upper cuspids, differently of those of the Suidae, are directed. Together with the low cuspids, they form an effective weapon, as with the carnivores. Through it, that they drag themselves mutually, the cuspids are extraordinarily sharp.
Skeleton Means-hand and metarsals at least partially healed to a cannon-leg with adult navel-pigs. Here they resemble the ruminant Paarhufern and differ from the actual pigs. At the rear-feet, the anus-claw situated at the outside vanished, only the at the inside remained gotten.
The tail-spinal column consists of 6-9 fuss. The short tail is externally hardly recognizable with the navel-pigs.
System The family of the navel-pigs includes three today living types with one type each. It will discover one of these types only some years ago.
Halsbandpekari, Pekari, Tayassu tajacu) The total-length of the Halsbandpekaris amounts to 95 cm, its shoulder-height 35-40 cm. The fur consists of long, hard bristles, that are curled sallow on black reason. From the vertex up to the neck, the bristles are extended. they can be raised to a bonnet. The total-coloring appears brown-black. A light bond between breast and shoulder is the reason for the name of these animals.
Spread The Pekari is widespread. In the north, the type crosses Mexico's border and reaches the south of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. In South America, the spread-area is enough as far as at the estuary of the Rio de la Plata.
Habitats As residence, the Pekari prefers cover-rich terrain. The biotopes include a multiplicity of landscapes from the desert over the savanna as far as to the tropical rain-forest. Higher mountains seem to avoid the animals.
Way of life In packs from animals of all age-groups and both sexes, Pekaris wander through its residential-area. Tunnel-good changes originate on that occasion in the grass and thicket.
Pekaris like to wallow and can swim well. On its hikes, they therefore overcome river-runs without further. They make themselves in plantations unpleasantly noticeable through its strong Wühltätigkeit.
Food The Pekaris eat grass, herbs, foliage, fruits as well as small reptiles, roots, tubers, eggs, larvae, worms and snails. In deserts, they meet its liquid-demand through the consumption of juicy rungs of the Opuntien (Feigenkakteen).
Enemy-behavior Enemies are repulsed by a Drohgebärde by the Pekaris. They rip open the mouth on that occasion and expose its sharp cuspids. In stronger arousal, they beat banging the jaw loudly one on top of the other. A clattering sound originates through it. Jaguars and pumas are its most dangerous opponents, against who however, they often defend themselves in the pack with success. Lynxes and coyotes carry off only young.
Reproduction Pekaris become reproductive-capable before end of the first year of life. The females are mated with by several Keilern one after the other within a pack without bigger heat-fights occurring. After 140-150 days of Tragzeit, the sow usually places 2 Frischlinge, that can immediately follow the pack.
Continuance Therefore, Halsbandpekaris be adaptable animals, who can live also on human cultures, threatened not it until now.
Weißbartpekari, Bisamschwein, Tayassu pecari) This navel-pig has a total-length of 110 cm, at a shoulder-height of 40-45 cm, and is somewhat bigger than the Halsbandpekari with it. The bristle-fur is colored gray-black. A pure-white stain is in the lower jaw-area and at the throat. The boys are brightly auburn with a dark brown, wide back-strip.
Spread The spread-area of the Bisamschweines stretches in the north from Yucatan as far as after Uruguay in the south. In many places, its residential-area divides with the Halsbandpekari.
Habitat As biotope prefers the Bisamschwein wood. It hides in hollow or fallen trees, in foliage-pile and similar hiding places, there. It forms larger associations than the Halsbandpekari; the herds of more than 100 animals can include. Besides the smaller Halsbandpekari, it doesn't have any considerable food-competitor in its habitat. In accordance with its size, the Weißbartpekari is regarded as the more defense-ready of the two types.
Reproduction The Tragzeit of the Bisamschweines is boasted about 158 days. it brook places in the normal case 2 boy.
Chaco-Pekari (Catagonus wagneri)) Only 1972, a group of North American researchers discovered this type, that until then since the Pleistozän (ice age-ages), from which one knows from the type Catagonus bone-findings, as was valid extinct.
The Chaco-Pekari is somewhat bigger than the two other navel-pig-types, has longer Grannen and shows a light collar. The anus-claws of the rear-feet are missing completely. This Pekari was found in the Chaco from Paraguay in dry and badly accessible thornbush-forests. The finding was a zoological sensation.
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