The collared peccary, or javelina, is another of the highly adaptable mammals found in many vegetational types of both the tropics and the temperate uplands of Mexico. It occurs in highest density, however, in the tropical thickets along both coasts, especially on the Pacific side from Sinaloa to Oaxaca. The javelina is present in undisturbed rain forest but does not attain maximum abundance there. Cutover rain forests or naturally thick and stunted growth, as typified by thorn forest, the mesquite thickets of northeastern Mexico, or the richer parts of the tropical deciduous forest, are more nearly optimal habitat for this animal. In the pine-oak uplands, peccaries may occur in good numbers where there is enough thick growth, such as manzanita or scrub oak. I know of no situation where jevelinas thrive in the absence of dense, scrubby ground cover. The Sonoran desert is perhaps the most barren javelina range; but even there, S. B. Benson found them principally in thickets of mesquite and ironwood.

The javelina is a gregarious animal and tends to live in bands or herds. The denser the population, the larger the bands. A sparse population is usually broken up into little groups of two or three or half a dozen animals, whereas in areas of plenty the bands number ten to twenty and sometimes, though rarely, more. Collared peccaries do not form the great droves characteristic of white-lipped peccaries. Some individual males, presumably old animals, avoid the bands and live alone. Such a recluse is often referred to as a jabalí solitario in contradistinction to the majority, which like each others’ company. In certain areas, especially on the flat coastal plains, javelina bands range widely over the country, but they seem to have definite home ranges and are by no means vagrant in their wanderings. In the pinelands of Chihuahua I found bands living in very circumscribed areas, feeding at night in certain manzanita patches and retiring each day to some nearby rocky canyon. We occasionally met the animals abroad in early morning or in the evening.

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Javelinas are hunted everywhere in Mexico both for food and for the hides, which make up into fine leather. The meat of females and of the young is excellent, although great care much be taken not to smear the musk onto the flesh. It is customary to remove the dorsal musk gland and then wash hands and knife before proceeding with the skinning. Old males are poor eating, being tough and strong no matter how the musk is cared for.

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Javelinas are still overhunted in much of Mexico, but like the white-tailed deer, they have shown a remarkable capacity to persist, at least in low numbers, on suitable ranges. With even a minimum of protection the javelina can be expected to hold its own indefinitely.