The Javelina

The Javelina
A new world pig
Javelina, aka. Collared Peccary
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The Javelina, are
medium-sized animals
that look similar to a wild
boar. They have mainly
short coarse salt and
pepper colored hair, short
legs, and a pig-like nose.
The hair around the
neck/shoulder area is
lighter in color giving it
the look of a collar.
Description
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Javelina have long,
sharp canine teeth
which protrude
from the jaws about
an inch.
They can weigh
from 40 – 60
pounds.
Description
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Their young (1-3
months) are usually
about a pound and
are red-brown or tan
which is why they are
sometimes called,
“reds”.
They are also
extremely cute!
Territory
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They can be found in
the deserts of
southeast Texas, New
Mexico, Arizona,
southward through
Mexico and Central
America and into
northern Argentina.
Also at picnic tables!
Their Life
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Javelina form herds of two to more than 20 animals
and rely on each other to defend territory, protect
against predators, regulate temperature and interact
socially.
They use washes and areas with dense vegetation as
travel corridors.
They have a scent gland on back; animals from the
same herd stand side-by-side and rub each other’s
scent glands with their heads; use scents to identify
animals from different herds.
They are nocturnal especially in the hotter months
of the year
Their Life

They normally
come out in the
evenings and early
mornings to forage
for food. And they
can be a common
site to those who
have a yard with
vegetation.
Their Diet
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Like their swine relatives, javelinas are omnivorous,
meaning they eat almost anything available.
Nevertheless, studies in Texas and Arizona have
proven the importance of prickly pear cactus to the
javelina. On almost all ranges, this succulent plant
provides more than half of its diet while fulfilling
most of its water requirements. This thorny diet,
low in nutrients, is supplemented by green forbs,
vines and grasses. Aside from scooting a prickly
pear leaf along the ground to break some of the
longer thorns, the javelina pays little attention to the
numerous spines on its favorite snack.
Prickly Pear Cactus
Disposition
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Usually very docile and non-aggressive.
Highly protective of their young.
When they attack
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Javelina can inflict a serious wound. Defensive
javelina behavior may include charging, teeth
clacking, or a barking, growling sound.
Javelina may act defensively when cornered,
to protect their young, or when they hear or
smell a dog. Dogs and coyotes are natural
predators of javelina, and they can seriously
hurt or kill each other. Probably due to its
hatred of the coyote which preys on its young,
javelina are very aggressive around any dog.
More Facts
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Javelinas are extremely near sighted but have
good hearing and a keen sense of smell which
make up for their bad eyesight.
Their eyesight is so bad that when they are
startled they can run towards you not realizing
that you are there.
Javelina can be very troublesome to
landowners when they become habituated to
homes and human activities
They do not make good pets.