Collared Peccary (aka Javelina)

(Pecari tajacu)

Collared Peccaries in the southwest United States commonly eat prickly pear cactus!

Though they may look like pigs, the peccaries (3 existing species in Central and South America) have several major differences from their old world counterparts, including a strong-smelling gland on the rump used for marking and communication.

They are also a very vocal species, which is often attributed to their poor vision.

Photo: Collared Peccary eating a prickly pear cactus in the Sonora Desert near Tucson, Arizona, USA.