Tombstone Sky
Observatory and Weather Station
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Tombstone Sky
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Tombstone Wildlife All parts of the country have their nastier inhabitants, and Tombstone has its share. I won't bother you with such things as bees and wasps, since you're probably already familiar with them. But Tombstone, being desert country, has some neighbors you should be familiar with. The intent of this section is not to scare you. It's to inform you, so you know how to keep out of harm's way. None of these creatures are by nature aggressive towards humans. But they become extremely aggressive, and therefore dangerous, if provoked, attacked, or cornered. Most especially - keep an eye on the kids. Scorpion Javelina Rattlesnake Coyote Mule Deer Skunk
It's difficult to get through a summer visit to Tombstone without encountering one of these fellows. Although it looks a little like a crustacean, it's actually an arachnid (a cousin of the spider). But it doesn't bite - it stings with its tail, injecting venom into its prey or attacker. Its sting is about as serious as that of a bee. However, there is a variety known as the Bark Scorpion, and that thing really packs a wallop. If you don't know what kind stung you, the safe bet is to get medical attention, and the sooner the better. If you use glasses and don't have them on, a scorpion on the wall looks like a spider, and one on the rug looks like a piece of lint. Don't go poking things with your own anatomy until you're real sure of what it is. Or isn't. Interestingly, because of a protein in their exoskeletons, scorpions become luminescent if exposed to black light. Also interesting - and extremely useful - is that scorpions will not cross a line of WD40. I've found that if I remember to spray my door seams with this stuff once a week in the warm months, every other week in cold months, I don't get scorpions in the house. If I forget, I do. There are several species of scorpion around here, so what you see might not be like the picture. They rarely get more than 3" long, unrolled. They hunt for insects at night, and hide during the day in a cool, damp place, as best they can. Leave a wet towel on the bathroom floor, and the scorpions will thank you - though you may not like how. If all they can find is one of your boots, that'll do. So, shake 'em out before you put 'em on. It's not easy to remember that, but eventually, you will. If you find one in your room, they are easily dispatched with insect spray or a hammer.
These little pigs don't fear the wolf. Or humans. Although altercations between javelina and humans are unusual, when it happens, the pigs always win. For defense, they have very impressive 3-1/2" razor-sharp tusks. They can hurt you, so leave 'em be. They have poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell. They are social (among themselves) and take their young wherever they go. They usually travel in groups of about six. If any member of the group is threatened, the entire group will respond. If they have young, their definition of "threat" becomes pretty liberal. They typically hide out during the day and feed at night, and are omnivorous - you name it, they'll eat it. Mostly, they like roots and cactus. I know, because they eat a lot of mine, which is ok, because they also eat rattlesnakes. I got this photo just about sunrise. There were ten in this group, and some of them were very young, which means the adults get really testy. Meaning, "dangerous". Javelina are quite common in and around Tombstone, and javelina and dogs just don't mix. Javelina treat dogs as predators, so if you're visiting here and decide to walk your dog in the early morning or evening, keep that dog on a leash. If your dog spots a pack of javelina and decides to "play" with them, the dog is in for a surprise, possibly a final one. The pigs may run, or may fight. If they have young, they won't consider running an option. If there's a fight, your dog is going to lose. Don't even think about going to your dog's aid. You'll just draw an attack of your own.
Rattlers are rattlers, and we've got 'em. It's very unlikely you'll ever see one when you're here, though. They are typically active during the day and hide at night, but on an extremely warm night, they're out and about. They don't like to be around humans, and will give ground if they can. However, they have poor eyesight, relying on smell and heat (they are pit vipers) to detect their prey and enemies. They can also detect vibrations in the ground, which makes sense since so much of them is in contact with it. They know that something "heavy" coming is probably not food, and will move out of its way, so be generous with your footsteps. A rattlesnake, if taken by surprise and startled, will instinctively attack. If you go out to where they are - away from civilization - you are well advised to wear boots (the higher the better), and put your pants inside the boots. This not only keeps scorpions from climbing up where they don't belong, it also prevents a rattler from snagging a fang in your pants, which can get really exciting. Don't pick anything up without kicking it first. If you get bit, you must get medical attention immediately.
Ol' Wiley is arguably the most successful species in North America, except for maybe ants. They coexist with humans quite well, though a lot of us wish they didn't. They're not generally dangerous, but remember they aren't pets - they're wild animals. I've had 'em trot past me as I was walking down the road, and they kept their eyes on me, but otherwise kept to their business. It's not uncommon to hear them yipping and howling at night.
These things are common around here and (obviously) present no danger to humans. They really love peanut butter. I leave some out for them, so they're frequent visitors here. If the bunnies leave some carrots lying around, this is an extra treat for the deer. What they don't eat, the javelina clean up. They'll wander into town any time of the year, especially from late autumn through early spring, usually in groups. They're not too afraid of people, but they won't let you get too close. If they have young, they're much more skittish. If you come across some - and if they don't just run off - I've found that standing still and talking to them in a low voice seems to alleviate their fears somewhat. Maybe they figure that if you're deliberately making noise, you're not trying to sneak up on them. Or that you're crazy or stupid. In any case, they usually go back to what they were doing, at least until you move again.
BUSHY is a hog-nosed skunk, and I'm still trying to get a photo of him. He likes peanut butter as much as the deer do, but he doesn't eat as much of it. He's only active at night, and the less of a moon, the better he likes it. And he's very shy - any disturbance, and he scurries off. Bushy also likes to eat scorpions, which are also most active at night.
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