What Is A Javelina??

Looks like a pig, acts like a pig, sounds like a pig BUT it is not - It is a Javelina.

While at Fort Davis State Park, we were able to watch and study the Javelina (pronounced havelina).  Here are a few things that we learned.

Javelina or collared peccary does not belong in the domestic hog or wild boar family. Even though it looks like a pig it is not because it has only one dew claw on its hind foot and it has four teats with only two that function to feed their young. 

Javelinas in the wild have a life expectancy of about 10 years.

They are omnivorous (they eat anything - meat and plant). In Texas, the Prickly Pear Cactus is their main diet.  The Javelina will actually scoot the Prickly Pear leaf along the ground to break off some of the longer thorns before eating its favorite snack.  In addition to the Prickly Pear Cacti, the Javelina will eat vines, and grass.

Javelina weigh on average about 55lbs. They have 2 inch canine teeth used for cutting, slashing, and eating. However, they are not usually dangerous to humans. They are not said to be aggressive and will most of the time retreat away from humans unless they feel threatened. The coyote is the biggest threat to the Javelina because the coyote eat the young Javelinas. 

We found the Javelina to look like, sound like and act like a pig with long legs. We enjoyed watching them in the evenings. It was interesting to see about 5-8 of them come out when Jeff started cooking outside.  We made sure to put up our trash and clean up our mess outside for fear of the Javelinas tearing up our tents.  We have to remember that WE are invading THEIR space. 

Learning about the Javelina by watching them has been fun for us all.

Herd of Javelinas

Look at his head of hair.  He is a handsome male Javelina!!