Life in the Fast Lane

They cannot hide it, even when they nap: javelinas are cranky little buggers. But give them credit: snuggling is warmer.

They tour the neighborhood on familiar paths around the back yard fences.

You may call them collared peccaries, if you prefer, but in Arizona that is a bit like calling a tie a cravat, and in Arizona neither ties nor cravats are common for people who do not have a law degree or a license to plunder.

Javelinas eat cacti, succulents, bulbs and tubers, and just about any plants that drop fruits or nuts. They love seed pods, and most tender new plants. That is why most houses here have fenced-in back yards. It is a rare seed from the bird feeder above where they are lying that escapes the doves and quail that patrol the area, but sometimes sniffing about will find something, and stale bread is never left behind.

Scavenging is hard work. Sometimes, when it is successful, a nap seems like a good idea.

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