Food Habits of the Collared Peccary on South Texas Rangelands

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Abstract
The food habits of the collared peccary (P. tajacu) were determined from 3 locations in south Texas. From Sept. 1976-Aug. 1978, peccaries'' food preferences on the Zachry Ranch in Jim Hogg and Zapata Counties were 74.7% cacti, 15.3% woody plants, 5.1% forbs, 2.3% grasses, 2.3% unknown plants and 0.3% animal matter. Pricklypear pads Opuntia spp. comprised the bulk of the diet from Oct.-March; pricklypear fruit and mesquite pods [Prosopis sp.] were the most important foods from April-Sept. During the fall and early winter period, peccaries'' food preferences were determined on the Gonzalez Ranch in Starr County and the Yturria Ranch in Kenedy and Willacy Counties. Food preferences on the Gonzalez Ranch were 81.5% cacti, 13.6% forbs, 2.0% woody plants, 0.6% grasses, 2.3% unknown plants and 0.1% animal matter; food preferences on the Yturria Ranch were 48.1% forbs, 32.5% cacti, 8.3% woody plants, 5.7% grasses, 5.3% unknown plants and 0.1% animal matter. Pricklypear had a relatively low density on the Yturria Ranch in comparison with higher densities on the Zachry and Gonzalez Ranches. Pricklypear was the preferred food of peccaries in south Texas, but in areas of low pricklypear density, forbs are highly utilized.