Dog May Have Caused Javelina to Attack Elderly Woman in Arizona
OutdoorHub Reporters 09.04.13
A 64-year-old woman walking her dog on the east side of Tuscon, Arizona was attacked last Wednesday by three javelina. According to the Arizona Daily Star, wildlife officials say that the confrontation may have been provoked by the presence of the woman’s small, leashed dog.
“Javelina will act instinctively to the presence of a dog,” said Mark Hart, a spokesman for the Arizona Game and Fish Department (GFD). “They don’t distinguish it from a coyote. If you’re walking a dog and see javelina, go the other way.”
Hart said that when the woman noticed the animals, she attempted to scare them off by waving her arms and shouting. She was backing away when she tripped and fell, at which point the javelin charged her. The woman suffered multiple lacerations from the incident and was taken to a hospital.
According to the GFD, javelinas are dangerous creatures capable of inflicting serious wounds on humans. Defensive javelina behavior may include charging, “barking,” and bites. Like all wild animals, they should never be fed as it will cause them to lose their fear of humans. Javelina will often act aggressively towards dogs and coyotes and may attack them on sight. Dog owners are advised to keep their pets on a leash and put up strong fences.
Even worse, having javelina around your home could attract mountain lions.
Javelina are often mistaken for being pigs, but they are instead peccaries, a group of hoofed mammals displaying similar traits and behaviors. Unlike the feral pigs that have been causing so much trouble across the United States, there are strict hunting regulations for the taking of javelina, and trapping of the animals is not allowed in Arizona. Click here for more information about javelina hunting in Arizona. Authorities also advise keep garbage out of reach as a means of deterring wild animals.
