Photo Credit: Dave Pape
The Chacoan Peccary, Catagonus wagneri, is listed as ‘ENDANGERED’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. The largest peccary species, it is endemic to the dry Chaco of western Paraguay, south-eastern Bolivia and northern Argentina.
The decline in this species is mainly due to hunting for its meat and habitat destruction. All peccary species in the Chaco are heavily hunted, even in protected areas, and the Chacoan Peccary’s habitat is being rapidly cleared for agriculture and cattle pasture. In Argentina and Bolivia, much of the land is also overgrazed by livestock and degraded by fire.
The species is legally protected in Argentina, and international trade is prohibited under its listing on Appendix I of CITES. Hunting of all wildlife in Paraguay is also officially prohibited. However, heavy hunting still occurs throughout the species’ range, and laws often remain unenforced. Recommended conservation actions for the Chacoan Peccary include upgrading and expanding protected areas, establishing an effective hunting ban, developing environmental education programmes, and expanding captive breeding initiatives.
Geographical region of Chacoan Peccary
Credit: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
To learn more about the Chacoan Peccary, click here. Or visit the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ by clicking their logo below.
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