JAVELINA

Texas ecosystem project leader at the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, about the objectives of the proposed research. “Something like that does not exist for javelina.”

She explained that unlike other big game species such as white-tailed deer, there remains a lack of detailed harvest justification and recommendations for javelina. According to the TPWD proposal, the intended study will create a standardized survey methodology and a model for estimating populations that will be used by field biologists throughout the state.

“Hopefully through the process of developing the survey and model, the researchers will be able to give us the tools so that we can deploy the county biologists to evaluate exactly how far their [javelinas’] range is today and what the status of those herds are,” Gann said.

Javelina once occurred throughout two-thirds of the Lone Star State with historical accounts recorded as far north as the Red River and east toward the Brazos. The South Texas Brush Country and Trans-Pecos regions still boast high numbers of javelinas. In 2004, TPWD transplanted 29 javelinas into Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area in attempt to restore the population in the Edwards Plateau. Outside of Texas, javelinas are also found in restricted pockets of Arizona and New Mexico with their range extending through Central America and as far south as Argentina.

“We are due now for an evaluation of which counties have them, how dense are their populations, and how often people are encountering them. All of these questions are worth answering,” she said.

Javelinas are often difficult to detect with traditional survey methods due to their preference for dense brush thickets, chaparral, and mixed thorn-scrub woodlands. During the day, they spend long periods bedded in the brush with a heavy canopy for shade. In rocky terrain, javelinas will utilize caves and rock overhangs for cover. Most activity takes place in the early morning and late evening to avoid extreme temperatures.

“There’s a secondary factor associated with surveying javelina, and it’s the fact that they’re sexually monomorphic,” Gann said. “They look the same, and even between the juveniles and the adults it can be difficult to tell what you’re looking at.”

Relatively the same size, adult male and female javelinas are notoriously difficult to distinguish in the field, which makes it challenging during population surveys. Adults typically measure 3 to 4 feet long and weigh around 30 to 45 pounds. A very large javelina will tip the scale at more than 60 pounds with even larger sizes achieved in captivity.

Gann remarked that the call for research could not have come at a more appropriate time. Human population is growing across Texas, prompting more urban development. “The border is developing and growing, and there’s more instances of wildlife-human conflict as those urban centers expand and that can include a lot of different wildlife species, javelina being one of them,” she said.

Texas A&M University has been awarded the TPWD project to study population and spatial ecology of collared peccary across the western South Texas Plains. TAMU is working in collaboration with TPWD and the University of Montana.

“Collared peccary are unique critters adapted to more arid environments, and their study has largely been neglected, so this large-scale, five-year project will determine factors affecting population dynamics, movement, and habitat use while trying to develop more accurate and efficient survey techniques” said Dr. Stephen Webb, research assistant professor and principal investigator at TAMU.

The upcoming research will present a strategic chance to educate the public about javelina and the value in learning about one of our state’s unique and indigenous wildlife species, engendering pride.

“The conclusion of this study would be a prime opportunity to synthesize some of that information and use it as a starting point to begin an education program. . . Awareness, education and excitement about the species are ultimately where we’re hoping to end up,” she said.

Javelina Biology

Javelinas are gregarious, living together in squadrons averaging a dozen individuals with groups as large as 27 reported. The herd’s social structure consists of family members of mixed age and sex.

The herd maintains a territory with adults actively marking boundaries with scent from their dorsal glands. Within each territory, there are core areas of activity—bed grounds, feeding sites, waterholes, etc.—all connected by a network of trails. Javelinas travel along these trails in single file while continuously maintaining contact with members in the group. Use of these activity areas varies seasonally, but they remain important.

Observing a javelina herd can be an entertaining spectacle simply because of their modes of communicating with one another. Mutual rubbing is a common behavior that reinforces recognition and maintains herd cohesion. Head and neck nuzzling, nose touching, and licking are all mutual behavior patterns. Javelinas possess a keen sense of smell that is critical for exchanging scent between herd members. Their sense of smell is not only important for social behavior but also to detect predators and buried food.

In addition to tactile and chemical messages, javelinas communicate via vocalizations such as grunts, huffs, growls, and squeals. Low grunts are constantly emitted from a herd content in feeding. Huffs act as alerts for the whole herd to wait and lis- ten for a possible disturbance. Aggressive calls like growls are loud and emitted between two javelinas during short squabbles. Rarely do adults squeal unless in distress, but young will squeal when they are separated or seek attention from their mother.

One of their more unique behaviors, javelinas clap their upper and lower canine teeth together making a “popping” or “clacking” sound as a sign of aggression. The level of speed and intensity varies, but the most impressive displays occur when an animal is cornered.

With bare tusks and raised manes, javelinas will confront predators to defend themselves or their young. High and coarsepitched game calls are known to bring in javelinas—probably with the intention of encountering whatever potential predator intrudes on their territory.

The javelina’s primary food is prickly pear cactus, which is a year-round food source for javelinas in the Southwest. Their complex, pouched stomachs create the conditions for breaking down the cactus pads—spines and all. How the spines dodge the inner vitals remains unknown. In areas lacking prickly pear, multiple species of cacti make up the food source, including lechuguilla, sotol, cholla, century plant, and other succulents that sustain their water needs during critical periods.

Javelinas also consume seasonal mast such as acorns, fruits, and mesquite beans. Forbs, grasses, rhizomes, tubers, bulbs, and occasional browse are also eaten. There is a substantial lack of evidence that javelinas regularly consume animal matter; however, they have been observed scavenging carcasses on occasion.

Hunting Javelina

In 1939, javelinas gained status as a game animal in Texas, which protected them with harvest seasons and bag limits. Some landowners label javelinas as a range nuisance or deer corn guzzler; however, popularity for javelina hunting has grown, especially for youth hunters who haven’t yet seen this indigenous animal. The prime example of this is the annual Texas Youth Hunting Program’s (TYHP) Mother-Daughter Javelina Hunt in Maverick County.

“My favorite part about the Mother-Daughter hunt is watching the hunters and moms progress throughout the weekend together, sharing in the memories of getting to spend time outdoors together,” said TYHP Huntmaster and TWA Engagement Coordinator Kristin Parma. “Those relationships I know are so important. It is an exceptional weekend, and it is hard to put into words how impactful it has become in my life—all because of the collared peccary.”

During the week, participants receive instruction about hunter safety and lessons on various outdoor topics. One of the program’s major takeaways is emphasizing the important characteristics that make javelina a unique game animal.

“I believe that before hunting a particular animal, you should take a little time to learn about them,” she said. “I make a strong effort to highlight unique aspects about javelina—their history and decline in Texas, status as a regulated game animal, how they differ from feral hogs, their main diet consisting of succulent vegetation, their scent glands used to identify their herd members, and more.”

With game in hand, participants learn from Parma about the rewards of preparing javelina from field to table. Javelina, contrary to the impressions of the masses, offers fine table fare, Parma has embraced the mission of proving they are not only edible but delicious.

“I make a point to serve all wild game dishes on my hunts, especially javelina, since one of the biggest misconceptions about them is that they aren’t edible,” she said. “As residents of the Southwest, it’s only natural that they are perfect for creating dishes like tamales, adobo, enchiladas, and more. I haven’t let that stop me from using javelina in ragus, lasagnas, soups, and even egg rolls.”

As a wild game chef whose renown is growing, Parma said, “I love cooking with javelina because creating a successful and delicious meal is so rewarding and an inspiring way to keep advocating for this native species.”

Given their potential to introduce youth to the outdoors and recruit new hunters, the javelina is being reassessed as a source for generating revenue for landowners interested in providing opportunities for paid hunts. TWA includes javelina in its Texas Big Game Awards program. Youth hunters can have their javelina scored and receive a first harvest certificate and award. Javelina numbers entered in the program have seen some increase since it is a required species to earn the Texas Slam Award.

Many of the program’s participants arrive on the hunt having never seen a javelina. However, by the end of the week they depart with a new appreciation for javelina and the outdoors.

“Every year I find that the girls on my hunts embrace the javelina in full force. I love it when they are just as excited to see them in the wild as I am,” Parma said. “This year, we completed our fifth year hosting the only Mother-Daughter Javelina hunt, and I am very proud of that.”

With every encounter in the photo blind, I observe and photograph something new that sparks my curiosity about javelina. As the sunlight dimmed, my javelina squadron trotted back into the spiny brush, leaving me with a collection of memories and photos detailing their antics. As our awareness of this species grows, so should our pride in having access to this unique Texas native.