HABITAT USE BY COLLARED PECCARIES IN AN URBAN-ENVIRONMENT

Movements and habitats of collared peccaries (Tayassu tajacu) were studied in and around Saguaro National Monument (SNM), Arizona, from February 1988 through December 1989. Use of vegetation association, aspect, slope class, slope position, and distance to housing were assessed from 277 locations of five herds with radio-collared animals. Mean home-range size did not differ between urban and non-urban herds (1.03 km(2) and 1.00 km(2), respectively). Urban herds were located within 250 m of housing when foraging ((X) over bar = 240 m) and within 400 m of housing when bedded ((X) over bar = 387 m). Peccaries in non-urban areas were located >825 m from housing. Homeowners adjacent to the monument deliberately provided food and water to attract wildlife onto their property. Peccary herds in urban areas supplemented their natural diet by visiting houses and/or restaurants on a daily or twice daily basis.