Sunday, May 11, 2008

Peccary delight


It wasn’t just mammal tracks the team of expedition members collected data on this week. Those making their way through the swampy forest were lucky to see a small herd of White-lipped Peccaries (Tayassu pecari). At first mesmerized, the increasingly loud clacking noises, grunts and the mutterings from team leader Jon “beware they can charge” sent the teams' hearts a flutter and them frantically searching for the nearest tree to climb (seemingly one’s best escape strategy). Although not immediately endangered, the white-lipped peccary is threatened by deforestation and increased hunting pressure. It is therefore a good indicator of the health of the rainforest habitat, where large forest tracts occur, herds of up to 200 individuals will roam the forest floors in search of palm nuts, fruits, roots, invertebrates and Caño Palma EMs.
Above photo is picturing white-lipped peccaries in a clay lick in the Ecuadorian Amazon - borrowed from GVI Amazon.

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