Javelinas

[kelpie]

In March, I went to west Texas, stayed in Alpine 2 nights, then down to Big Bend, then a couple days in Ft Davis. Read somewhere about native species of area and saw several kindsof critters, birds and plants. Driving north from Big Bend back to Ft Davis and finally saw a javelina along the road, but I was driving and couldn't get a pic. Spent the night at Ft Davis state park, settled in and took dog for a walk, as usual. Struck up converstion with very nice couple who were camped next to me. I asked them if they had seen any TX wildlife there and they told me about some deer and some other critters. I asked them if they had ever seen the javelinas and they said no. Not 30 minutes later, I'm inside the rig fixing some dinner and I hear Eddie start barking and growling in the bedroom. I assumed some other dog was a little too close and told him to hush. I looked up and saw 4 or 5 of these about 10 ft from the rig. I ran and grabbed the camera and started snapping away. Eventually there were 10 or 12 of them in different sizes wandering all around our "loop. " I had read that they were vicous towards dogs so I was find of freaked about letting Eddie out the rest of the night and the next a.m. When I went to check out the ranger lady heard Eddie carrying on like he does whenever i am out of his sight. I mentioned that I had been worried about him due to the herd of javelinas and she explained why they are so ferocious towards dogs. It seems that they can't see very well, but have an excellent sense of smell. They can't really distinguish the different type of canines and one of their most dangerous predators is the coyote. Therefore, they will attack a dog and hang on to the death.

This is with a little zoom

This one you can see the corner of my rig - it was taken from the driver's seat

[Liz]

How interesting Thanks for posting those.

[ohlucy05]

I lived in Texas and the college that I went to Texas A & I now Texas A & M- Kingsville had the mascot of the javelina. They are vicious animals. They have skins that bullets repel (they are tough) and they have teeth that would tear up meat. And they stink to high heavans. And once when my uncle was deer hunting he got treed by one in a mesquite tree (tree with many thorns) but that was preferable to fighting a group of javelinas. But they have their place in nature and are very useful in the harsh desert like country. It was interesting to see them again. I live in VA now.

ohlucy

[BirdbyBird]

Pictures will do for me, thank you....... I don't want to think about the carnage that they could inflict on the four pawed.....

[retiredhappy]

You're right to be very careful - they are really vicious creatures.

[avalen]

wow, always wanted to get pictures of the javalina here, they are especially
dangerous with javalinalets, lol, piglets.