The Javelina has evolved to its current form and lifestyle over several hundred years. They originated in South America and can now be found all the way from southern Argentina to northern Arizona an east to New Mexico and Texas.
These little animals weigh from 40-60 pounds and have a shoulder height from 20 to 24 inches and their length from head to tail is from 36 to 48 inches. Their sexual maturity is two years and they mate year round. Their gestation period is from 140 to 150 days and they average giving birth to 2 young, but sometime they do have 3.
The true name of the Javelina, as we know them here in the United States, is the Collared Peccary but they are also known of as Tayaussa. It is said that they are called Javelina because of their razor-sharp tusks, Spanish for javelin or spear, but I am not sold on that explanation because the Spanish word for spear is lanza and the javelin part is anybody’s guess.
Javelina herds can cover a territory of from 1000 to 2000 acres and they have a life span of about 10 years in the wild but it can be much longer when they live in captivity. Their diet consist of prickly pear cactus, fruit, nuts, seeds, succulents and garbage.
You will likely smell Javelina before you see them and you can normally hear the sounds of the very young before you can smell them.
They are very intelligent and gentle, when left alone, but they are very protective of their young and the rest of the family herd and can become very combative when challenged.
Learn more on our javelina wildlife DVD which was filmed in the Southwestern part of the United States, also know as the American Southwest.