Appreciating Javelinas

Article by TAMRA BOLTON

What is small, stinky, hairy and can run like a cartoon rabbit? It’s a little understood native Texas mammal…the collared peccary, more commonly known as the javelina.

“They are the Rodney Dangerfield of South Texas,” said David Hewitt, Leroy G. Denman Jr. Endowed Director of Wildlife Research, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. “They get no respect.”

The javelina is somewhat of a curiosity in the natural world— it looks like a pig, but it’s not a pig. Little research is available on to abound. What we do know is the javelina is an important part of our Texas biodiversity and deserves some attention.

My first encounter with a javelina was in Davis Mountain State Park near Fort Davis. I was enjoying a late afternoon cup of coffee in the sparse shade of my campsite when I saw something dart across the narrow ravine running alongside my camp.

The smallish brown blur streaked by so fast, I wasn’t exactly sure what it was until the inquisitive mystery guest peeked out from the surrounding brush. I watched the bristly body emerge as I sat perfectly still.

Soon I could observe the distinctive white collar and the tiny bright eyes. I was captivated. It sniffed the air and made a grunting noise as if trying to figure out if I was a friend or an enemy.

When an older couple approached on the hiking trail, the spell was broken. My visitor took off like a bullet.

I didn’t realize there were other javelinas in the area until the first one’s hasty departure triggered the entire clan. Soon, javelinas were darting in and out of the brush all around me. Rabbit-sized red blurs—baby javelinas—joined the melee making it quite a comical sight.

I couldn’t help but laugh, which unfortunately drove them to the far reaches of the campground. Since that time, I’ve learned more about the behavior and habits of the javelina and have developed a sincere appreciation for our charming little native.

Javelinas (collared peccary) range from Argentina to South Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, but they used to be found as far north as the Red River and east to the Brazos. While their range has receded to the South Texas brush country and the western edges of the Trans-Pecos and western Edwards Plateau, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department estimates there are as many as 200,000 javelinas in Texas today.

Over a century ago, those numbers were much higher, but from the 1880s through the late 1930s, countless javelinas were killed these distinctive creatures allowing myths and misconceptions

for their hides used in making gloves, jackets and other leather goods. In 1939, Texas gave the javelina protected status as a game species, allowing the javelina to slowly recover its numbers.

Today, in places like the sprawling King Ranch south of Kingsville, the javelina thrives in large herds, along with some scattered introduced populations in other parts of the state. With a year-round season and a two-per-year bag limit, javelina hunting is a popular tradition on many South Texas ranches. Javelina-watching is also a growing hobby among photographers and other nature-lovers who enjoy the antics of this lively little mammal.

At only 28-55 pounds and standing between 20-21 inches tall fully grown, the javelina is tiny compared to most feral hogs. Often mistaken for wild hogs, the javelina has several outstanding characteristics that will help observers differentiate between the two species: • When startled, javelinas have a bristly erect ridge that goes from the crown of their head to their rump. • Javelinas also have a musk gland that gives off a distinctive odor, making their presence known often before you can see them. • Their most visible identifying mark is the white collar around the neck that gives them their true name— collared peccary. • Javelinas also have noticeably shorter, practically nonexistent, tails and ears.

With the increasing population of the feral hog in Texas, many express concerns about the effect the hogs might have on the javelina population.

“In West Texas, I doubt the pigs are contributing too much to declines in javelinas,” said Sean P. Graham, Associate Professor

of Biology, Curator of Vertebrae Collections, Sul Ross State University. “I rarely see wild pigs as they are usually in areas near water, and that means ranches with water features. This species requires more pristine desert and thorn scrub habitats. Feral pigs don’t seem to do as well in West Texas, probably because it’s so dry, so the desert will probably remain a stronghold for the javelina.”

Further, Hewitt co-authored a CKWRI research project on the intake of mast (honey mesquite pods and acorns from both live oak and Shumard oak trees) which found that in high concentrations of mast, wild boars will often displace (discourage) other species from consumption by their presence. White-tailed deer, javelinas and wild turkeys will often retreat from a feeding area when feral hogs approach. This makes the competition for the higher quality mast much stiffer among the more desirable game animals.

While mast is only available at certain times of the year, the javelinas have a definite advantage over the feral hogs, in that their main diet consists of prickly pear and other succulent vegetation. Another thing in the javelinas’ favor is the fact they can survive with little or no surface water and have a much higher heat tolerance than the feral hog, making the brushy semi-arid areas of South and West Texas ideal environments for the javelina to thrive.

The available surface water requirements for both drinking and wallowing of the feral hog naturally limit its range in the drier parts of our state which keeps the javelina and wild hog ranges from overlapping in many areas. This is good news for the native javelina and for those who appreciate the biodiversity of these last wild places.

The javelina is considered “vicious or dangerous” by some, but most of the seemingly aggressive type behavior can be explained

JAVELINA FACTS

• If prickly pear is plentiful, javelinas rarely frequent water holes. They get the water they need from the cacti. • The javelina is actually a tropical species with molars designed for crushing hard tropical-type nuts. • A special kidney modification in the javelina allows it to excrete oxalic acid, enabling it to eat large amounts of cacti and other plants not normally tolerated by most mammals. • You can recognize the thin tough hide of the javelina when it’s used for gloves and other leather items by looking for a hair root pattern of three holes, evenly distributed across the hide. • Javelinas usually have twin offspring, but litters can range from one to five. • A common nickname for the javelina is “musk hog.” • Javelinas travel in groups consisting of a few animals upwards of several dozen. Their somewhat limited home range is usually 180-556 acres. The scent from their musk glands is used to mark the boundaries of their territory. in two words: poor eyesight. They just can’t see well-enough to judge a real threat from a perceived one. Javelinas have an excellent sense of smell which often makes them bolt when they catch wind of a predator, running in all directions to escape.

Reaching speeds of up to 20 mph, the javelina may run in the direction of the threat instead of the opposite direction, making them seem aggressive and a little scary, but they just need glasses. This also explains why javelinas dislike dogs and will attack in self-defense…they can’t tell the difference between a $1,500-hunting dog and a scruffy coyote, one of their predators.

The best advice is not to put dogs at risk in javelina territory. It’s a good idea to leave Rover at home or in a safe place like your four-by-four or pick-up. Some interactions are inevitable, but caution and being alert for signs of javelinas in the area will go a long way to prevent deadly encounters. Hewitt advises that when hiking, it’s always a good idea to make noise or talk when in javelina territory, and as with any wild animals, never approach or crowd them.

Most people think you can’t eat the meat of javelinas, because of the musky smell, fleas and other deterrents, but Hewitt said he thinks it could be a cultural thing. For years, he taught a big game class and when they were out in the field, he cooked javelina for the students.

Most of them had never tried it and couldn’t believe how tasty it was. Graham said that during his time in Mexico doing research, the locals grilled javelina and it was delicious. The key, according to Hewitt, is to properly skin the javelina.

“The musk gland is just under the skin on the rump about 6-8 inches from the tail; it comes right off with the skin, like a deer,” he said. “You don’t have to touch it or handle it.”

Like any other game species, good sensible range management is the key to helping the javelina thrive in Texas. The javelina likes dense thickets of prickly pear and other succulents, chaparral, mesquite and scrub oak, with prickly pear being its preferred food. This diet helps control certain undesirable cacti which may be problematic for land managers.

Mechanical control of brush does not seem to adversely affect the javelina’s habitat, and the higher densities of prickly pear and other desired foods are more evident in these carefully managed areas than on undisturbed range. Wildlife managers could also increase the value of having javelina on the land by encouraging hunting and other activities that focus on this underappreciated Texas game animal.

We are truly blessed here in Texas to have such a range of biodiversity in our state. From the Panhandle to the Gulf Coast, from Big Bend to the Big Thicket, Texas has an incredibly rich natural heritage. Like hundreds of other native species, the javelina is unique and worth preserving.

Hewitt said it best: “Javelinas are part of what makes South and West Texas special. They are scrappy animals that have adapted to tough country. They deserve our respect and appreciation.”