The javelina, also known as the collared peccary, is a mammal found throughout the Americas, ranging from the Southwestern United States down to Central and South America. These small, pig-like animals are highly social, moving and living in cohesive family units across their varied habitats, which include deserts, grasslands, and scrub forests. The javelina’s social nature has led to a specific term for their collective grouping.
The Collective Noun
The most widely accepted collective noun for a group of javelinas is a “squadron.” This term is frequently used by wildlife biologists and in conservation literature to describe their family units. A group of javelinas may also be referred to simply as a “squad” or, sometimes, a “herd” or “sounder,” though the latter two are more common names for groups of true pigs. “Squadron” remains the most specific label for the javelina’s social structure.
Javelina Identity Not Just a Pig
Despite their pig-like appearance, javelinas are not members of the true pig family, Suidae, which includes feral hogs and domestic swine. Javelinas belong to their own family, Tayassuidae, which diverged from the pig lineage approximately 30 to 40 million years ago. A defining physical difference is the presence of a scent gland located near the base of the tail. Javelinas use this gland for marking territory and group recognition, a feature true pigs lack.
Javelinas possess straight, downward-pointing tusks that are self-sharpening as they rub against one another, unlike the curved tusks of pigs. Their feet also differ; javelinas have four toes on their front feet but only three toes on their hind feet, while true pigs have four toes on both the front and back. These anatomical features, along with differences in their stomach and dental structure, confirm their classification as a separate New World family of mammals. The collared peccary, one of three peccary species, is identified by the band of lighter hair around its neck that resembles a collar.
Life in the Squadron
The squadron is the core unit of javelina existence; the animals are rarely found alone unless injured or aged. Typical squadron sizes for the collared peccary range from six to 12 individuals, though larger groups occur in areas with abundant resources. This tight-knit social structure is important for collective defense against native predators like coyotes and bobcats.
Squadron members communicate through sounds, including woofs, grunts, and chattering their tusks as a warning sign. Scent marking is also a primary form of communication, with individuals rubbing their scent glands against each other. This mutual scent-marking creates a distinctive group odor that allows members to quickly identify one another and maintain group cohesion, especially given their poor eyesight. The squadron forages and sleeps together, sharing the responsibility of defending their communal territory.