Peccaries are highly social wild pigs native to the Americas, facing habitat loss and hunting pressure while having complex social structures that affect their welfare.
Peccaries have rich social lives built around stable group membership, mutual grooming, and coordinated anti-predator behavior. The disruption of these social groups through hunting creates welfare impacts beyond the immediate individuals killed — surviving group members lose key social partners and may face stress-related health effects. White-lipped peccaries are particularly vulnerable because their large group size and requirement for vast undisturbed habitat make them sensitive to both hunting and deforestation. Conservation interventions that reduce hunting pressure directly improve peccary welfare, as does habitat protection that allows groups to maintain stable ranges. Indigenous communities with traditional hunting management practices can provide sustainable frameworks for peccary coexistence.