Art by Jackie Blurton
Nature Note by Dr. Roland Shook
Javelina or Collared Peccary are truly wild pigs of the New World. Primarily tropical and subtropical, they occur south into South America. One of the two species is thought to have expanded its range north from the humid Mexican jungles and to some degree adapted to the arid Southwest.
Javelina are most active in the mornings and late afternoons when they are seen in small herds of 2 to 25 individuals. Shrubs, grass, mesquite beans, cacti, nuts, berries, and various roots and tubers make up their primary diet. Like pigs, they also consume insects, worms, eggs, reptiles, toads, and other organisms. Javelina often seek twisting courses of desert washes for concealment and food.
When threatened, Javelina emit a strong musk odor and click their tusks. If cornered they may charge the perceived danger, or more often, flee in all directions.
