What a variety of life visiting wash in Tucson

Posted By: leeduigon(patty)Posted On:

So much more variety in the desert than one would think.

5 comments on “What a variety of life visiting wash in Tucson”

  1. With the exception of the Bobcat and that very brightly colored bird, I’ve seen every one of those animals in my yard, at one time or another. A few weeks ago, while the neighborhood dogs were raising absolute hell, I spotted a reddish-brown streak out of the corner of my eye, which was the right height to be a mountain lion moving fast, which would explain why the neighborhood dogs were so excited. (By the time I could get a second look, the reddish brown streak has disappeared into the brush.)

    But such is life on the Sonoran Desert of southeastern Arizona. 2/3 of the wildlife is trying to kill you,many the other third are fleeing something that is trying to kill them. For the most part it’s peaceful, and I’m about as likely to see a Cottontail or a Deer as I am to see any other sort of animal. Even the rattlers aren’t much of a problem, so long as you keep your eyes open, keep your distance, and wait for them to move elsewhere.

    The Javelina, which made up so much of this video, are dangerous only because they are probably the most unintelligent mammals on earth. I saw some deep in my backyard, about 20 years ago, and they saw me. They ran in my direction, in an absolute panic, and I jumped into the safety of the bed of my pickup truck, while they rushed by, less than two feet away. Had they gone in the other direction, they could have blended into the underbrush within a few feet. Not so smart, but I could easily have been trampled, or gored by their tusks. I’m ok with the wildlife, but if the Coyotes, Javelina or Diamondbacks show up in my yard, they are not particularly welcome.

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