They have even spread to the pine-clad rims of the Grand Canyon. That is a huge and diverse range, given that the creatures are found as far south as northern Argentina. Two other peccary species also live in South and Central America. This boom was aided by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, which transplanted javelinas to some new areas of the state up until the late 1970s in an effort to supply more game animals. But most authorities say the creatures have moved north primarily on their own, and in the process, they have caused trouble for many Arizonans.
People move here from elsewhere and have never heard of javelinas.
They plant beautiful flower gardens around their houses, and when they get up in the morning those gardens look like they ve been hit by a mortar shell. About the height of mid-sized dogs, adult javelinas are covered with bristly hair that seems better adapted to heat than to cold. They roam in bands averaging eight to ten individuals that forage together, largely by smell, as their eyesight is poor. The succulent prickly pear cactus, which provides some moisture during droughts, is a favorite food. So are roots and tubers, including, O Brien says, tulip bulbs.