And so there was. From the window of our Arizona room I could see it easily.
I texted Marc, the "javalina whisperer" from Animal Experts Wildlife Control. "We have a creature in our trap." I heard back from him right away. "I am on my way. Your neighbor Eldon already called me."
I watched as Eldon came out of his rig and took pictures. The javalina was not happy to see him. It rose to its feet, bared its teeth and hissed.
Left alone again, the animal alternated between periods of quiet - like it was thinking - and charging the crate from within, snouting at the seams and kicking. I hoped the container was strong enough to hold it.
Marc arrived in his truck.
He looked at the javalina. A male, he said. Most likely, it was the alpha male in a herd and was challenged by a younger male for the alpha position, lost the challenge, and now lived alone. "Javalinas don't do well alone." It made sense that the solitary animal would seek a safe place - like under our park model.
Marc got his dolly and manipulated the crate beneath it.
He looked inside and said, "Uh oh. He's wrapped an interior chain around his leg and he isn't going to be able to get out of it." Marc thought for a minute, then went to his truck. He came back with a small saw. He opened the lid of the crate and, talking to the javalina, leaned into the container to cut the chain off.
The javalina calmed down once in the truck. Marc said he'd drop him off at Dove Mountain, between Tucson and Phoenix, where there are several herds. "Our" javalina may be accepted by the herd.
We've been thinking about this fellow for over two months. Now we can send him off with our best wishes for a good life elsewhere.
I hope he was the only one who lived under our place!
10 comments:
Oh my gosh! I hope he's the only one, too! What an adventure you've been having. Nothing boring about your neck of the woods!
Sure hope he is accepted and has a good, long rest of his life, out in the wilds!
This has been an interesting process for us, your readers, as well. Good luck to Mr. Javalina, and to you, too.
Good it was a male so you don't have to worry about baby javelinas still under the house! I hope he finds peace in a new home, a javelin retirement community.
Every time I encounter some kind of pesky situation now I think of it as a javelina. Hope you are done with this particular adventure!
Hope this adventure is over and you will no longer be hosting javelinas or any other critters!
I was thinking the same, are there more? I think Marc would know if that was likely so you are probably good.
So happy for your peaceful, humane solution. May he live long and prosper, just not under your house.
Refugees are just drawn to you! I hope he finds a home.
What an adventure he's been for you. I'm still sad for him and hope he finds a good family to take refuge in.
Very interesting experience with the javelina. I did not know that this animal was found in North America, but watched the little video that you linked in your previous post. Are they aggressive toward humans?
Jude
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