Searching in heterogeneous and limiting environments: foraging strategies of white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari)

White-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) in Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Mexico, exhibit foraging strategies characterized by short-range intensive searching interspersed with occasional long-distance movements. Research identified a zero-inflated lognormal distribution as the best model to explain their movement patterns, suggesting adaptive behavior in response to patchy and seasonally variable resources. During the dry season, groups concentrated foraging around water sources, behaving as central-place foragers while occasionally exploring distant areas. This study highlights the complex decision-making processes of social mammals navigating heterogeneous environments.

Reyna-Hurtado, R., Chapman, C. A., Calme, S., & Pedersen, E. J. (2012). Searching in heterogeneous and limiting environments: foraging strategies of white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari). Journal of Mammalogy, 93(1), 124–133. https://doi.org/10.1644/10-mamm-a-384.1