Chacoan peccary (Catagonus wagneri)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 13056029

The Chacoan peccary (Catagonus wagneri) is an endangered peccary endemic to the Dry Chaco ecoregion in South America, threatened by habitat loss and over-harvesting (IUCN, 2008).  Defensores del Chaco National Park is a remote park surrounded by alarming rates of deforestation (618 ha/day) in the Paraguayan Chaco, and one of the only places where this species occurs along with the other peccary species (white-lipped, Tayassu pecari, and collared, Pecari tajacu). This provides an opportunity to compare life history characteristics among the peccaries that may explain their differential vulnerability to extinction.  My research will combine camera trapping and habitat occupancy modeling methods to understand the spatio-temporal distribution and relative abundances of the three peccary species within intact forest and roadside habitats.  I  will also conduct interviews to understand harvest practices in the region. The ultimate goal of this research is to provide useful information to aid in Chacoan peccary conservation and management.