They look like hairy pigs and grunt like domestic porkers, but javelinas are actually members of the peccary family. They get their name from their long canine teeth, which can do a lot of damage to any human or predator who looks like they may harm their young. The adults weigh up to 60 pounds.

If you hike or tour in the Sonoran Desert areas of Southern Arizona and Northern Sonora in Mexico, you may see families of javelinas rooting among the shrubbery. They have strong, leathery mouths and frequently feed on the big, spiked pads of the prickly pear cactus. Ouch!

It’s OK to observe them in the wild, but keep your distance. Usually peaceful, and although they’ll eat offered food, they can revert from friendly to dangerous in a flash.