Naptime for One Javelina Family

This pair of javelinas and their two young have been hanging around often lately

Remember the short video I shared a few days ago of the two young javelinas nursing?

The family returned for a nap the other day. I first noticed them in the middle of the afternoon when the two parents had already settled down in my yard. The lighting wasn’t the best for photography with the bright sunlight behind them and both javelinas in the shade, but I couldn’t change where they chose to nap. All I could do was watch and take photos!!

I noticed that the two young javelinas had snuck off into the desert while the parents were snoozing.

Mom first made a very big yawn. Yawns have always felt contagious (not that I’m suggesting you may yawn if you stare at this photo long enough.....) PBS has an article about why yawns are contagious.

Within a few seconds the other javelina yawned widely too. Not that I’m suggesting you may have to stifle a yawn but here is another article about the phenomenon of yawning contagion.

The mother javelina must have realized something was wrong. She got up and wandered into the desert, returning soon with the two runaways.

After leading the two young to the back of the ‘bed’, she returned to her resting spot. Her behavior here reminds me of sometimes having to make room in bed when you are the second one to settle in.

The little ones fell asleep quickly. One was behind the adult pair.

The second little javelina fit between its parents for a warm and cozy resting spot.

The little javelinas only took a very short nap before both got up at the same time, looking for a bedtime snack.

Mom (with the dirt on her nose) and Dad seemed to sleep through this latest adventure.

Very soon after I took this photo, the two adults stood up and the entire family sauntered off. It seemed like this “nap” had lasted an incredibly long time, but when I looked at the ‘time stamp’ on my images, I had only been taking photos for just five minutes!!! Time slowed down for me during this incredibly captivating event.

Two mornings later the family strolled through the yard again. The young javelinas continue to grow as they are fed a healthy diet.

Javelinas are not pigs. For more background on these interesting desert animals, here is the Desert Museum’s fact sheet on javelinas.