On a quiet night in South Texas, a group of javelinas moved through the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, rooting in the soil for food. For several weeks, the animals had been visiting the site to feed on deer corn.

This evening, however, was different. Nearby, Texas A&M graduate students and their supervisor, Stephen Webb, monitored the animals using a game camera. As the javelinas entered a corral, the team remotely closed a gate to capture them.

Once secured, the animals were sedated so researchers could collect data. Each javelina was measured, weighed, and fitted with a GPS collar to track its movements. Within minutes, the animals were released and returned to the brush.

Javelinas, also known as collared peccaries, are native to Texas and often mistaken for invasive feral hogs. Unlike hogs, they belong to a separate family and are more closely related to hippos than domestic pigs. Despite their presence in Texas culture, relatively little is known about their population trends, habitat use, and behavior.

Webb and his team aim to answer questions about whether javelina numbers are increasing or declining, how far they travel, and where they establish their homes.

In recent years, javelinas have become a focus for both hunters and scientists. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has elevated the species as a research priority.

“They’re worth studying,” said Whitney Gann, TPWD wildlife management area facilities coordinator and leader of the South Texas javelina project. “They’re worth the attention, and they’re worth the effort that we’re going to put into finding out this information. Javelina are such an iconic species in Texas, and it feels good to be a part of something so special.”