Category: #MondayPortrait

Collared peccary

My longtime friend had an unexpected and seemingly unusual visitor around her garbage cans the other night. A visitor she had not witnessed before in her neighbourhood, nor had any of her neighbours.

What was this unusual visitor you might ask? It was the creature pictured here known by many as the Javelina. In Arizona the Collared Peccaries are known by their Spanish name Javelina. What are Collared Peccaries or Javelinas? You might think they are some type of pig looking at their stout and pig-like bodies, but they are not pigs.

In fact, they are wild, pig-like mammals common in Arizona deserts, woodlands, and grasslands. Javelinas are known for their social behaviour and adaptation to urban environments. Even though they are primarily herbivores, feeding on prickly pear cactus, mesquite beans, and other desert plants, they will also eat insects and are known for raiding garbage cans for easy food access.

Javelinas have sharp teeth and can be aggressive if they feel threatened. It’s best to keep dogs (pets) away from areas that Javelinas might wander. They can be an enormous nuisance to homeowners due to their attraction to garbage and gardens. Make sure to never feed a Javelina. Javelinas are most active during the twilight hours, specifically between dusk and dawn.

Javelinas can be found in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, through Mexico and south all the way down to Argentina. Javelina live in desert washes, saguaro and palo verde forests, oak woodlands and grasslands. Houses that are close to washes will likely have javelina in the neighborhood and are a usual sighting in Tucson, Arizona. [My friend lives in Maricopa, Pinal County, Arizona which is located within the Sonoran Desert a short distance south of Phoenix.]

Monday Portrait 

Photo Credit:©️2025 Beverly Boyce Graves … All Rights Reserved. 

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