The Long-nosed peccary was a giant by peccary standards, with a larger body than those that exist today, weighing around 150 lbs. (68 kg.). Its distinctive protruding snout made up a large portion of the head, as is so nicely illustrated in the Native American relief sculptures on Peter's Mountain. Long-nosed peccaries preferred wooded areas that provided a diet of leaves, fruits, twigs, and flowers. Their fossils have been found in caves and tar pits throughout North America, though not as frequently as those of the Flat-headed peccary, suggesting that the Long-nosed peccary may have gathered in smaller social groups and been less prevalent. The raised Long-nosed peccary sculptures presented here are likely the first of their kind found in North America and may most accurately represent their actual appearance thousands of years ago. Restoration of the Long-nosed peccary from skeletal remains is difficult because of the fully decomposed cartilaginous snout and soft tissues that make up such a large portion of its head.

A matching pair of Long-nosed peccary relief sculptures (Figures 8-1 and 8-2) exist on the north side of the ceremonial grounds, about 100 feet apart, one at the east end and the other at the west end, as one would approach from below where known campsites were located. Each faces north toward the lowland and each peccary is on a separate approach line into the ceremonial grounds defined by multiple ice age mammal sculptures. Wolves and lions were the peccary's most feared predators, and it is no coincidence that a wolf sculpture (Figure 14-1) is just below the west end peccary and a lion (Figure 9-5) near the east end ungulate. On the ridge top 30 yards above and south of this sacred area is a beautiful portable Long-nosed peccary sculpture (Figure 8-3) that further defines their true appearance during our last ice age. It was found along with multiple artifacts typical of a Pleistocene tool kit. The peccary's poor eyesight and short memory made stalking quite feasible, its key olfactory defense mechanism easily overcome with a downwind approach. Paleolithic tool kits which included tools used to club, cut, and chop were perfectly suited for peccary hunting.

Flat-headed peccaries were larger but very similar to today's javelins or Collared peccaries (Figure 8-4). They preferred a more open grassland habitat but were adaptable to most environs, being quicker of foot and keener of vision than the Long-nosed peccaries. Their diet included not only roots, grasses, fruits, and various seeds, but also insects and animal carrion. The Flat-headed peccary had a darkly colored, wedge-shaped head that was quite distinct and identifiable, as can be clearly seen in the various examples included here from the ceremonial grounds (Figure 8-5), the north-south stone dividing line (Figure 8-6), and the rock shelter greenstone panel (Figure 8-7).

-from Chapter 8: Peccary