White-Lipped Peccary

The Osa Peninsula is home to both species of Peccary found in Costa Rica, the White-Lipped Peccary (tayassu peccary) and the White-Collared Peccary (Tayassu Tajacu). Although the Corcovado National Park is probably the best place in Costa Rica for seeing the White-Lipped Peccary, we don’t usually spot them around Lapa Rios. However, in the last week we have been able to observe a small herd that came down the hills and roamed around the property for several days. On at least two occasions we viewed them close to the cabins and near the self guided trail.

As a matter of fact, most of what we know about the White-Collared Peccary is information based on research in the Corcovado National Park and studies conducted on them in the Amazon Rainforest. Peccary’s are active during both the day and night depending on whether they have high competition and/or predators. They usually live in large herds from 50 to 300 animals although 300 is a number rarely encountered these days and most probably something of the past. Unsustainable levels of hunting and habitat destruction in former years make the Osa Peninsula one of the only places in Costa Rica where we still have White-Lipped Peccary’s.

These animals feed mainly on fruits, seeds and insects. The White-Lipped Peccary have a very large head in proportion to their body which gives them a biting force about 1.3 times greater than that of the White-Collared Peccary (Tayassu Tajacu). According to the research conducted in the Amazon, this makes them able to feed mainly on seeds that are harder to crack. However based on the results from the Corcovado National Park, our peccary´s actually spend about one third of their time foraging for larvae, beetles, worms and other insects suggesting that there is less competition for insects around here.

Photos were provided by a neighboring property and used with permission.