New critters

That's new as in newborn. These cute little guys were photographed by friend Bob -- and they couldn't have been more than a couple of days old at best. Note that they both have the light colored "collar" that is the reason the other name for javelina is collared peccary.

I thought that the double birth was unusual. Not so says Arizona Game and Fish: after a 145-day gestation period, most births occur in June, July, and August. This peak corresponds with the maximum rainfall period. Two is the most common number of young. Unlike other animals, the javelina does not lick the offspring at birth, but rolls or tumbles it. The young are precocial, following their mothers shortly after birth and are usually weaned at six weeks.

Another American youngster -- a baby possum. Sent to me by my ex-sister-in-law (we're divorced) from Memphis, Tennessee. You can judge the size of this critter by the oak leaves and the width of the boards.

OH DEAR! A sharp-eyed reader has reminded me that the little guy above can't be considered a baby in any sense of the word. He's a possum, after all, and possums are marsupials. As a true infant, he lives in his mother's pouch for some little time before sticking his nose out into the big wide world for the first time. Then he will spend more time in and out of the pouch before really living entirely outside. My face is red.