Chacoan peccary conservation in Paraguay

The Chacoan peccary is the most endangered of all peccary species, and every young born—like these from Prague Zoo—is therefore of great importance. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The Chacoan peccary (Catagonus wagneri) is an endangered even-toed ungulate endemic to the Gran Chaco—the second largest forested ecoregion in South America, after the Amazon. This vast region extends across western Paraguay, south-eastern Bolivia and northern Argentina. The peccary inhabits mainly its driest parts, where scattered emergent trees mix with dense thorny scrub, columnar cacti and prickly pears—an important component of the diet of this distant relative of pigs.

It might seem that life in such a remote and inhospitable area, sparsely populated and unattractive to tourists, would guarantee the peccaries a peaceful existence. Unfortunately, this is far from the case. Due to expanding agriculture and livestock farming, the Gran Chaco has become one of the most rapidly deforested places on Earth. As a result, peccaries are not only losing their natural habitat, but the areas they inhabit are also becoming increasingly accessible. Peccaries—seen by local people as a welcome source of meat despite their legal protection—are therefore hunted more frequently than before, even within protected areas. It is estimated that only a few thousand individuals remain in the wild.

In Paraguay, the non-governmental organisation El Centro Chaqueño para la Conservación e Investigación (CCCI) is dedicated to conserving the Chacoan peccary. Its work focuses on maintaining an in-range backup population and on long-term research and monitoring. The organisation also carries out educational activities and is preparing a reintroduction project expected to start in the near future. In addition, it is involved in restoring the peccaries’ original habitat and monitoring how local wildlife makes use of the restored areas.

Prague Zoo has supported CCCI since 2016, the same year it acquired its first Chacoan peccaries. Three years later, the zoo successfully reared its first young, and has continued to breed the species ever since. Offspring born in Prague contribute to building a sustainable backup population of Chacoan peccaries in human care, which by 2025 numbered over 320 individuals.

Prague Zoo’s financial support helps to cover the running costs of the breeding centre managed by CCCI—including construction work to improve the animals’ living conditions and the purchase of feed. In recent years, the zoo’s funding has primarily supported upgrades to the water supply, such as the acquisition of a mobile tank and the expansion of the existing reservoir, as the breeding centre has been facing much drier conditions than in the past.

Further reading:

Calling all Wagners and Vágners!
European success: Chacoan peccaries were born in Prague Zoo
Endangered Chacoan Peccary Triplets Born at Prague Zoo