A 235-page Wildlife Farmers’ and Producers’ Book on the Collared Peccary better known as the wild hog or quenk was launched by author Dr. Gary Garcia in July 2005, on two separate occasions. The first launch was held at the National Library in Port of Spain on July 19 and the second at the UWI Bookshop on Campus on July 21.

The manual is the second one to be produced by Dr. Garcia, Senior Lecturer in Animal Production, Faculty of Science and Agriculture at UWI: The first being a booklet and Producer’s Manual on the Agouti.

Delivering the feature address at the first launch, Ms. Penelope Beckles, Minister of Public Utilities and Environment, commented that, “The publication of this manual must be placed in the context of the importance of understanding and valuing wildlife stock management hunting, development of rural wildlife farming industry and wildlife research in our twin islands. Or, to put it another way, understanding the socio-economic contribution of wildlife to the sustainable development of the country.”

She further stated that, “the manual like its predecessor provides us all, the farmers, the lovers of wildlife, the students and the scientists with the knowledge that is required to ensure good and safe husbandry of the animal in captivity. Through the application of sound and scientific approach to wildlife farming, not only would wild-meat be easily available during the open season, but the conservation objective of releasing excess stock into the forest can be realized.”

In his opening remarks, Dr. Holman E. Williams, Professor Emeritus of Livestock Science at UWI said, “this document has gathered and illustrated valuable information about the collared peccary in particular. The proposals herein for its culture is a responsible one regarding the management of this valuable resource that, incidentally, is not as docile and easily be prone to pradial larceny as small ruminants and the agouti. In the long term, peccaries of superior qualities can be selected and bred on diets formulated to meet the various physiological requirements in conditions of greater comfort, hygiene, and health to match modern intensive swine production. If and when we arrive at the prospect of export, T&T will be free from the major communicable exotic disease, which hinders trade in livestock products in many countries, with the Peccary.”

The book is a collaborative work involving authors from France, French Guiana, Brazil, Peru and Spain and is divided into six sections:

1. Description of threats to wildlife farming;



2. Aryann’s questions on the peccary: which contains some basic questionnaires on the peccary which can be used by both primary and secondary school teachers;



3. Scientific literature review;



4. A practical guide and manual for peccary production;



5. A visit to three peccary farms in Brazil and Peru; and



6. The conversion of peccary meat and cuisine.

In the book Dr. Garcia and his co-authors make the case for the establishment of captive breeding centers. Dr. Garcia feels that this would lend itself to intensive production. These centers would further provide protection and a healthy environment for reproduction. He recommends that these centers could be housed at stations that are already established and associated with the conservation, protection and reproduction of wildlife such as the Emperor Valley Zoo. These centers could also act as relief centers for orphaned and traumatized animals. Additionally, all private persons and farmers could be encouraged to produce and manage the peccary commercially.

A 1990 case study of Wildlife Farming in Trinidad concluded that wild meat is sold at a higher price than the meat of domesticated animals such as poultry, pork, beef etc. It was suggested that once wildlife farmers could produce a steady supply of wild meat there could be some economic potential. At the time of the study there were 15 to 20 registered and accessible wildlife farmers. By 2004, this number increased to 250 registered and 79 active wildlife farmers in Trinidad. This suggests that wildlife farming is growing and with governmental support, rural communities can benefit from this activity.

The book is available on sale at the UWI bookshop on campus.

The Peccary is a mammal which resembles a pig. Although they are not the same they both belong to the same zoological family called Suidae. Its scientific name is Pecari tajacu or Tayassu tajacu but is known by many other names in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Peccary can survive almost anywhere in the Neo-Tropics and can be found in a number of locations, ranging from the wet and humid tropical forests of the Caribbean including Trinidad and Tobago, Central and South America to the deserts or very dry areas of Arizona and Texas in the USA and Mexico.

Because of its sharp teeth, the peccary is considered a dangerous animal. It grows quickly up to about four months of age then from five months to one year, their growth rate declines. The mature body weight is about 20g, the weight at which the females begin reproducing. However its maximum weight is 30 to 40 kg.

The peccary like most other wildlife in the New World are being threatened or endangered by human/biotic factors, pollution and micro-climate changes. Four conservation approaches have been proposed to halt the steady decline of the wildlife population in Latin America and the Caribbean. The first was suggested by Ojasti in 1966 and has nine broad areas. The second is that practiced in French Guiana; the third is a generalized approach used in North America; and the fourth by Kissoonsingh and Garcia for the Small Island States of the Caribbean.

The last approach includes enforcement of existing land use zoning laws; wildlife conservation laws with increased penalties; enactment of new anti-pollution laws; establishment of wildlife emergency relief centres; education of the population; and establishment of captive breeding centres or the empowerment of farmers to produce wildlife and particularly the peccary and other desirable wildlife species.