JAVELINA (Tayassu tajacu), also known as the collared peccary, range from South America to as far north as the southwestern United States. Adult javelina stand about 21 inches high at the shoulder and have a coarse, grizzled, blackish-gray coat with a grey collar. They live in herds of ten or more.

Inhabiting desert scrublands, collared peccaries are herbivores, eating mainly plant matter such as prickly pear fruit, roots, and mesquite pods. They also consume insects, worms, eggs, reptiles, and dead rodents. Javelina have extremely sharp teeth, and rough tongues, ripping up cacti and chewing the spines.

They are shy, timid animals with poor eyesight, fleeing from danger whenever possible; but when cornered, they fight back. Their most common natural predators are mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, and humans.

Click on numbered locations on the map to see photos of javelina and associated wildlife.

Graphs of temperature, time and date of photos

Frequently Asked Questions

Return to Sonoran Wildlife Portal