By Amy Keiter, Lead Animal Keeper
In our last Zoo Views post, Ryan talked about the process of an animal like Mokolo moving to another zoo. So today, let’s flip the script—what happens when we receive a new animal?
OUR PECCARY FAMILY GROWS (AND CHANGES)
If you’ve visited the area near our giraffes and zebras, you might have noticed that our Chacoan peccary herd looks a little different these days. That’s because Elmwood Park Zoo has the exciting privilege of being a breeding facility, helping sustain the species across AZA-accredited zoos.
Our longtime parents, Yavi and Parsley, have welcomed four different sets of peclets here over the years! After making such valuable genetic contributions, they and several of their offspring have since moved to other facilities—some for new love matches, others for a well-deserved break until the Species Survival Plan (SSP) recommends their next pairing.
We’ve kept three of their daughters—Chimi, Churri, and Sage—who we hope will carry on the family line right here at EPZ.
But if you’ve stopped by recently and said, “Wait a minute… I saw four peccaries!”—you’re absolutely right.
INTRODUCING ICHABOD
Meet Ichabod, a new male peccary from Sequoia Park Zoo in northern California! You may have already spotted him settling in with our girls. But getting to that point took careful planning, patience, and teamwork.
Introducing animals—especially social, scent-driven species like peccaries—is both an art and a science. Every species (and every individual) is different, but we follow a series of familiar steps to make sure everyone stays safe and comfortable.
STEP 1: “Howdy” time
Howdy, partner! In zoo terms, a howdy is when animals can see and smell one another without direct contact. Because our yard can be divided, it is perfect for having animals separated while still being able to see each other, which is just right for a howdy.
The girls stayed in one half while Ichabod explored the other. Through the mesh barrier, they could check each other out while we keepers looked for signs of curiosity—or concern. Were they spending time near the fence? Scent-marking? Relaxed? Those are all good signs. Avoidance or aggression, on the other hand, would tell us to slow things down.
Chacoan peccaries are naturally social, so we wanted to see them investigating each other, not defending territory. Animals who are more territorial may feel like they need to defend their territory rather than make friends. The howdy period gives us a chance to assess whether this could be a good match or if we need to take a different approach.
STEP 2: Scent and Sound
Social animals rely heavily on scent to communicate, and peccaries are no exception. During introductions, we sometimes swap bedding or spaces so animals can explore each other’s scent before meeting. Occasionally we’ll even record and play back vocalizations to help them get familiar with each other’s sounds.
In this case, the fencing allowed plenty of direct scent access—peccaries have scent glands on their hindquarters that they rub against objects (and sometimes each other) to mark. It looks a little silly, but it’s perfectly normal! For this group, the scent and howdy steps happened at the same time.
STEP 3: Opening the Doors
“Open the doors!” sounds simple—but it’s one of the most carefully planned moments in the process. Although the howdy can give us a general idea of our animals’ feelings about each other, we don’t know what’s going to happen once those doors are open and we need to be prepared. Animals could be getting along great through a barrier, then behave completely differently once the barrier disappears.
We ask a lot of questions beforehand:
– Are there hazards we should remove?
– How will we separate them if needed?
– Do we have the right tools and trained staff in position?
For Ichabod, there were extra factors to consider. He’s one of the oldest peccaries we’ve ever introduced, and it was also the first group introduction we have ever done here, rather than one-on-one. On top of that, he has limited eyesight, which affects how he reacts to stress. While our resident herd usually moves away when uncertain, Ichabod tends to freeze and stand his ground. Would this difference in body language impact how the girls respond to him? Would he be able to differentiate between a friend and a threat approaching him?
Although we would love to cross our fingers and hope everyone is best friends right away, it’s always best to prepare for every scenario. We had treats ready in case they separated themselves, plus noise-makers and baffle boards— which large visual shields we can use as gentle barriers if needed. Our veterinary team was on hand, ready to step in if needed. Directly beforehand, we talked through our plan with the team and assigned each person a role. Who is closing gates? Who is tossing fruit? Who is going to go in with baffle boards, and who is coordinating all of these moving parts? We made sure everyone could ask questions so there could be no uncertainty once the doors were open.
STEP 4: The Big Moment
The gates opened. The girls, more confident moving through the space, approached Ichabod. He was hesitant at first, but everyone sniffed at each other. Very quickly they were scent marking one another and following him around.
We monitored the herd for the rest of the morning, and I am pleased to say we didn’t need any of our backup plans. They have been together ever since!
There’s been a little natural social shuffling as everyone figures out their place. Chacoan peccaries are matriarchal, meaning females typically take charge. Ichabod has submitted to the older ladies, though younger Sage seems to be at the bottom rung of the social ladder for now. Chimi currently seems to be Top Lady, and has been throwing her weight around putting her sisters in their place — which can look like a lot of vocalizing and showing teeth, but is generally harmless.
LOOKING AHEAD
Here at the zoo, we coordinate animal introductions all the time, whether it is for companionship or breeding. Some involve more steps, longer times, or even repeated introductions rather than staying together full-time. Each introduction takes thoughtful planning, patience, and teamwork.
We are pleased with how smoothly the peccary introduction has gone and excited to see how the herd dynamic continues to change and settle. Our fingers are crossed for some new little additions to the herd in the future!
