 |
| Javelina, at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson. Photo by Charish Badzinski. |
Introducing: the javelina.
He’s so adorable, he seems to say, “How about a snuggle?”
(Note: the “j” in javelina is an “h” sound.) Also known as a peccary, or skunk pig (!) these animals can be found in the southwestern U.S., Central America and South America. They are relatives of pigs and possibly hippos. A full-grown javelina can weigh 88 lbs. These wild pig-like creatures wander around Tucson, and though you rarely see them, from time to time you may see evidence they’ve been sniffing around in your garden.
That’s okay though. The javelina isn’t exactly the kind of critter you want to get too close to. For one, they’re not very friendly. (But, let’s be honest here, who wouldn’t be grumpy if she were nicknamed a skunk pig?) And two, they smell bad. Really bad. Like a dirty hamster cage crossed with a moldy men’s locker room.
 |
| Javelinas gone wild! Okay, not really. These javelinas are cooling themselves under a pedestrian bridge at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Photo by Charish Badzinski. |
I know a few people who have seen javelinas outside of a museum, but chances are, you’d smell them first. Rollerbag Pop has come face to face with one which was staring at him through the sliding glass door of his house. The javelina’s nose left a print on the glass.
At the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, you can get comfortably close to a javelina without having to endure too much risk or rank. From this distance, they look sort of cute, don’t they? And, it’s nice to see that they have tons of natural habitat to enjoy at the museum.
The museum has a lot more to offer, too–be sure to check it out if you’re in the area.
Rollerbag Goddess Global Communications 