Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Javelinas !


Javelinas !, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Here are some Javelinas moseying through the Orange Trees... I love
them but my dogs don't. . . I get barking dogs on one side of the
fence and the leader of the herd ready to protect on the other side. . .
I try to keep them at safe distance they can do damage. The babies
are called Piglings and are so cute, Someone wrote about hairy little
loafs of bread with tiny feet and that really fits.

Javelinas are not hairy pigs, they are Collared Peccaries and are
classified with other mammals like hippopotamus ( neat ! ) but broke
off from pigs to become Peccaries. . . there is a Children's Book
called " Don't Call Me Pig " They also remind me of the Japanese
Boars.

They are nearsighted and have a excellent sense of smell, startle
easily and can run up 25 miles an hour as they run over any obstacles,
they squirt out a musk, ( awful ) as they run and this is how the herd
regroups.
Sometimes early in the morning I hear them "Quacking" to each other as
they walk along. It is really quite charming.

Hope this help Eryl. . . as you can tell I really like them and have
lots of books on them. Plus I was born in the Year of the Boar so they
are my People. . .

Cheers, parsnip

7 comments:

  1. How fascinating to know this!

    We've got a lot of orange trees here, but nary a pig or pig-related animal for miles around, and of course, no pork. I can't help but wonder if the Koran would classify Javelinas as pig flesh?

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  2. Thanks, P, that does help, a lot. I've never heard of Javelinas before and now your potted biography has whetted my appetite to know more, so I'm off to Google! Great photo too.

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  3. Mary...

    Tough call, but they kinda' look like a pig and I don't know how much science is allowed in reading the Koran.... so even if they aren't a pig. . . I would guess a big No !

    The Collared Peccaries are only found in the American West and I "think" only in the Sonoran Desert, so it might not matter ?

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  4. Eryl,
    I love my Javelinas...but try not to interact too much with them.

    There was a funny picture in the newspaper of one rolling a Pumpkin down the street that he snagged from a Halloween Decoration. They are always looking for tasty food.

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  5. Very interesting and new to me. I trust they are more friendly that wild boar.

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  6. PI. . .

    They have adapted to living with us, cause damage by eating your landscape and vegie gardens. They are not normally dangerous but they do have razor sharp teeth and if your in their way when they scatter you will get knocked over.
    It is always wise to give them lots of room.

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  7. I love those photos of javelinas. They are really cute, but it's true, they do have razor sharp teeth and can be very strong!

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