THE SEDONAN - Magazine - Page 42
Now, these peccaries are no couch potatoes. They're out and about,
socializing in herds called squadrons. And guess what? They can
identify each other by their potent odors! Imagine having to rely on your
smell to find your pals. They mark other herd members with these scent
glands by rubbing one against another. The pungent odor allows
peccaries to recognize other members of their herd, despite their
myopic vision. The odor is strong enough to be detected by humans,
which earns the peccary the nickname of "skunk pig.
JAVELINAS VS. PIGS
How do you tell these wildlings apart from your ordinary farm pig?
Here's the scoop: pigs have large, upright, and often pointy ears,
while javelinas sport small and rounded ones. Oh, and check out
those tusks! Pigs have long, curved tusks, whereas peccaries
boast short, straight ones that lock together like puzzle pieces.
Remember, when it comes to dining habits, javelinas are no picky
eaters. They chow down on insects, grubs, roots, grasses, seeds,
and even cacti, especially prickly pear! They're like the gourmet
foodies of the animal kingdom. But hey, if you're looking to keep
them away from your prized petunias, listen up!
