OT: Javelinas

---

I tried to send these pictures three days ago, but got them returned by Yahoo.  It took me two days to get reinstated, but I’m thankful that I finally made it.

Some people expressed an interest in javelinas after I mentioned them last week.  They are peccaries, not wild pigs.  During my lifetime, they have migrated up out of Mexico and are now common in the wild parts of Arizona.  A lot of people are afraid of them, and I had heard horror stories about how dangerous they are.  One of our sons, who is a hunter, strongly disagrees, and since we have them  come by the cabin frequently, I have observed that they are not at all aggressive.  I’m not even sure that they eat irises, but a herd of them tearing through a garden doesn’t do it any good.

A few years ago, I surprised a herd of javelinas on the back side of a big clump of Spanish dagger.  In their midst were two pink, kitten-sized babies.  I was afraid that they might be protective of their young, so I backed off quickly.  They just ran into the brush on the adjacent lot.  They have never shown any hostility.  Marvin took these pictures at close range in November a couple of years ago.

Francelle Edwards  Glendale, AZ  Zone 9