Can you look a peccary in the face without thinking that it's one ugly dude? Some might suggest that we use a little humility. Have you ever thought of how strange (and, yes, ugly) we must appear to other animals? In the first place, we don't even walk like decent mammals—when man first entered our desert, there must have been lot's of critters muttering "that is one ugly bird!" And fur! What self-respecting mammal would leave most of the body nearly bare except for that awful mop on top of the head, forever getting tangled up? And did you ever notice that it looks like we ran into a wall at full speed? What other excuse is there for our faces to be so flat—and with almost no nose at all? Pretty pathetic, really. No usable hooves or claws, teeth not much good for anything except chewing. We must look like a monstrosity!
However, you and I know better, of course. When you look at us in a
completely unbiased manner, we're really downright cute and lovable!
Contributor: Arthur H. Harris, Laboratory for Environmental Biology, Centennial Museum, University of Texas at El Paso.
Desert Diary is a joint production of the Centennial Museum and KTEP National Public Radio at the University of Texas at El Paso.