The Knowledge
What Are Javelinas? The Desert’s Misunderstood “Wild Pigs?”
What are javelinas
If you live in Arizona, chances are you’ve seen or heard about javelinas roaming neighborhoods, especially at dawn or dusk. But what exactly are these animals—and are they dangerous?
Javelinas, officially known as collared peccaries, are often mistaken for wild pigs. However, they’re actually a completely different species native to the Americas.
@stmblog They look like pigs… but they’re not 🐗❌ Meet Arizona’s javelinas! hhtps://stmdailynews.com #Javelina #ArizonaWildlife #PhoenixAZ #DesertLife #WildlifeFacts #NowYouKnow #STMdailynews #UrbanWildlife #DidYouKnow #NatureExplained ♬ original sound – STMDailyNews
Not a Pig: Meet the Collared Peccary
The collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) is a small, hoofed mammal with a stocky build and coarse, bristly fur. They get their nickname “javelina” from Spanish, meaning “little javelin,” referring to their sharp tusks.
- Length: 3–4 feet
- Weight: 40–60 pounds
- Color: Gray to black with a lighter “collar”
- Distinct trait: Strong musky odor from a scent gland
Where Do Javelinas Live?
Javelinas thrive in desert environments and are commonly found across Arizona, including the Phoenix metro area. As urban development expands, encounters with humans have become more frequent.
Behavior: Why You See Them in Groups
Javelinas are social animals that travel in groups called “squadrons,” typically made up of 6 to 12 individuals. These groups help protect them from predators and navigate their environment.
They are most active during cooler parts of the day—early morning and evening—especially during Arizona’s hot summers.
What Do Javelinas Eat?
Despite their tough appearance, javelinas are herbivores. Their diet mainly includes:
- Prickly pear cactus (a favorite)
- Mesquite beans
- Roots and desert vegetation
Are Javelinas Dangerous?
Javelinas are generally not aggressive toward humans, but they can become defensive if they feel threatened—especially if they are protecting their young or are approached by dogs.
Important safety tips:
- Do not feed javelinas
- Keep pets on a leash
- Secure trash and outdoor food sources
- Give them plenty of space
Why Are They Showing Up in Neighborhoods?
Urban expansion into desert habitats has increased human-wildlife interactions. Easy access to food—like garbage, pet food, and landscaping plants—also attracts javelinas into residential areas.
Final Thoughts
Javelinas are an important part of the desert ecosystem and usually pose little risk when left alone. Understanding their behavior is the key to peacefully coexisting with these unique animals.
Related External Links & Further Reading
- Arizona Game & Fish Department – Living With Javelina
- National Park Service – Javelina (Saguaro National Park)
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum – Javelina Natural History
- Encyclopaedia Britannica – Peccary Overview
- Texas Parks & Wildlife – Collared Peccary
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Author
Valerie Thomas is a true pioneer in the world of science and technology. A NASA engineer and physicist, she is best known for inventing the illusion transmitter, a groundbreaking device that creates 3D images using concave mirrors. This invention laid the foundation for modern 3D imaging and virtual reality technologies.
Beyond her inventions, Thomas broke barriers as an African American woman in STEM, mentoring countless young scientists and advocating for diversity in science and engineering. Her work at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center helped advance satellite technology and data visualization, making her contributions both innovative and enduring.
In our latest short video, we highlight Valerie Thomas’ remarkable journey—from her early passion for science to her groundbreaking work at NASA. Watch and be inspired by a true STEM pioneer whose legacy continues to shape the future of space and technology.
🎥 Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/P5XTgpcAoHw
Dive into “The Knowledge,” where curiosity meets clarity. This playlist, in collaboration with STMDailyNews.com, is designed for viewers who value historical accuracy and insightful learning. Our short videos, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute and a half, make complex subjects easy to grasp in no time. Covering everything from historical events to contemporary processes and entertainment, “The Knowledge” bridges the past with the present. In a world where information is abundant yet often misused, our series aims to guide you through the noise, preserving vital knowledge and truths that shape our lives today. Perfect for curious minds eager to discover the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of everything around us. Subscribe and join in as we explore the facts that matter. https://stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge/
Forgotten Genius Fridays
https://stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge-2/forgotten-genius-fridays/
🧠 Forgotten Genius Fridays
A Short-Form Series from The Knowledge by STM Daily News
Every Friday, STM Daily News shines a light on brilliant minds history overlooked.
Forgotten Genius Fridays is a weekly collection of short videos and articles dedicated to inventors, innovators, scientists, and creators whose impact changed the world—but whose names were often left out of the textbooks.
From life-saving inventions and cultural breakthroughs to game-changing ideas buried by bias, our series digs up the truth behind the minds that mattered.
Each episode of The Knowledge runs 30–90 seconds, designed for curious minds on the go—perfect for YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Reels, and quick reads.
Because remembering these stories isn’t just about the past—it’s about restoring credit where it’s long overdue.
🔔 New episodes every Friday
📺 Watch now at: stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge
🧠 Now you know.
Author
The Earth
Vancouver Aquarium and Aquarium du Québec Team Up to Expand Care for Rescued Sea Otters
Vancouver Aquarium will transfer rescued sea otters Hardy, Mak, Quatse and Taz to Aquarium du Québec in June, expanding Canada’s capacity for care.
A new partnership between two of Canada’s best-known aquariums is about to change what sea otter rescue and long-term care can look like nationwide.
On May 7, the Vancouver Aquarium announced it will transfer four rescued sea otters—Hardy, Mak, Quatse, and Taz—to the Aquarium du Québec in early June. The move supports the opening of Aquarium du Québec’s new sea otter habitat and creates much-needed capacity at the Vancouver Aquarium for future rescue cases.
Why this transfer matters
The Vancouver Aquarium works alongside the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMR) to rescue and rehabilitate hundreds of marine animals each year across the Pacific Northwest. The goal for every patient is release back into the ocean—but not every animal can return to the wild.
In this case, the aquarium says its sea otters were rescued as orphaned pups and later deemed non-releasable by Canadian and U.S. government agencies. Without the chance to develop key survival skills, many orphaned otters can’t safely hunt, avoid predators, or navigate the risks of coastal life on their own.
By expanding sea otter care to Eastern Canada, the collaboration increases the country’s overall ability to provide specialized, long-term support for rescued otters—especially those that cannot be released.
Creating space for the next rescue
The Vancouver Aquarium notes it is currently the only aquarium in Canada with a sea otter habitat, which means its capacity is limited even as rescue needs continue.
“Our aquarium’s otter habitat provides a safe and enriching home—but it also has limits,” said Mackenzie Neale, Animal Care Director at the Vancouver Aquarium. “This transfer creates much-needed space for when the next otter needs our help.”
That “next otter” is not hypothetical. VAMMR responds to more than 300 marine animal emergencies each year, including rescues of sick, injured, or orphaned animals and the disentanglement of sea lions trapped by marine debris.
A new educational opportunity in Québec
For the Aquarium du Québec, welcoming sea otters is both a conservation milestone and a major visitor experience upgrade—especially for families and students in Eastern Canada who may never have seen sea otters up close.
“The Aquarium du Quebec is thrilled to introduce sea otters to visitors in Eastern Canada,” said Nathalie Julien Boucher, director of Aquarium du Québec. She added that because the animals were rescued from the wild, the habitat will offer “a fantastic educational opportunity while continuing our conservation mission,” as part of the aquarium’s Louphoque project.
Catch them before they head east
The Vancouver Aquarium is inviting guests to visit Hardy, Mak, Quatse, and Taz before May 31. Throughout May, the four otters will be on public display during weekend (Saturday and Sunday) operating hours.
If you can’t make it to Stanley Park, the aquarium says viewers can still follow their journey on the Sea Otter Cam.
What to watch for
- Early June transfer: Four otters move from Vancouver to Québec City.
- Expanded national capacity: More space in Vancouver for future rescues; new habitat in Québec for long-term care.
- Conservation storytelling: Two aquariums amplifying public education about sea otters and coastal ecosystems.
About the rescue work behind the scenes
The Vancouver Aquarium opened in 1956 and has connected more than 50 million people to ocean life. It is accredited by major animal care and conservation organizations, and it’s also Humane Conservation Certified by American Humane.
The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMR) operates Canada’s only dedicated marine mammal rescue facility. It is an independent registered charity that works in partnership with the Vancouver Aquarium, and donations support rescue, rehabilitation, and release efforts. Learn more at www.vammr.org.
Source: Vancouver Aquarium press release via CNW (May 7, 2026).
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Tech
Drones paired with AI could help search‑and‑rescue teams find missing persons faster
AI-powered drones equipped with thermal and infrared imaging are transforming search-and-rescue operations, enabling teams to locate missing persons faster and assess their condition—including signs of injury, consciousness, or life-threatening temperature changes—in real time.
Last Updated on May 16, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Adeel Khalid, Kennesaw State University
A combination of infrared imaging, thermal imaging and color cameras on an uncrewed drone, along with an AI system to interpret the data, can help emergency responders and search-and-rescue teams locate, identify and track people who have gone missing in the wilderness. The experimental system helps responders pinpoint where a missing person is and determine whether they are hurt or even alive.
People who get lost or hurt while exploring nature can become stranded for days. Rescue teams often use drones to look for the person or signs of their whereabouts. The small drone my colleagues and I built at my lab at Kennesaw State University flies autonomously using a grid search pattern. It sends live video and images to a ground station operated by the rescue team.
When the AI system finds a person, it analyzes images to determine whether the individual is upright or lying on the ground. It segments parts of the person’s body, identifying the person’s head and the body’s position. It then zeroes in on the forehead. It extracts forehead temperature readings, pixel by pixel, from the imaging data to estimate forehead temperature. We have two papers detailing these findings accepted for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Aviation Forum 2026 conference.
Our AI model then assesses whether the person is conscious or unconscious and identifies abnormal temperatures that could indicate heat stress, hypothermia or other physical complications, or death – all vital information for a search-and-rescue team.
In field trials we have conducted, the system has provided consistent temperature readings of the heads of volunteers from our research team who have walked out into a variety of environments, under different conditions.
Why it matters
It is critical to get accurate and timely information on the whereabouts of a missing person. The likelihood that the person will survive decreases steeply as time passes.
An AI-enhanced drone can make search-and-rescue operations significantly more efficient than sending teams of people out into the environment to search on foot, especially in poor weather conditions or under thick foliage. Rescuers who know whether a person is conscious or unconscious can also better gear up for what they need to do to retrieve the person and administer aid. Our technology could save lives.
What other research is being done
Search-and-rescue personnel use various kinds of drones, but the machines often lack the ability to positively identify humans, especially under thick foliage, in bad weather or when the person is lying down or unconscious. The AI-based technology we have developed overcomes those challenges.
Better sensors that are very lightweight, that can function at night or in rain, and can see more clearly through thick foliage could further improve our drone and drones used by others. Researchers are devising AI-powered sound recognition for detecting screams for help, advanced thermal imaging for better nighttime vision and autonomous drones that could act as first responders.
Also under development are drones that can carry heavy payloads, such as flotation devices, fly for up to 14 hours or perform real-time mapping of the ground below.
What’s next
One of our next steps is to have multiple drones fly together and autonomously coordinate search-and-rescue operations among themselves. This will allow the technology to cover a much larger area, perhaps hundreds of square miles.
We are also designing a large drone that can carry up to 110 pounds (50 kilograms) of payload and stay aloft for an hour.
The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.
Adeel Khalid, Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Kennesaw State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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