At first I thought it was a javalina. It was about the same size, had short legs and kind of shuffled around like one. But the fur was long, black and more like a bear’s. It also had a long furry tail like a coyote (but otherwise wasn’t especially doglike).
The closest I can come to describing it is this, but of course it wasn’t. That thing doesn’t have a tail and lives in Sri Lanka.
Any ideas?
A Mexican Black Bear?
Any of these?
Badger?
Badger sounds about right. And they do inhabit that region, although I’m not sure why they aren’t listed in my earlier link.
That’s a very incomplete list. Here’s a better one for mammals.
However, the description doesn’t match any mammal on that list.
Coatis occur in the southwest but are much smaller than a javelina and aren’t black and shaggy.
Feral pigs can be black and shaggy and have a longer tail than a javelina, though still not very long.
I didn’t consider that because it’s not black and is much smaller than javelina. But some elements of the description in the OP have to be wrong.
Thanks, but I’m still stumped. I went all through that list, too, Colibri, before I started the thread. Nothing mentioned so far looks right, really. The shape of this coati is pretty close. If only it were larger, shaggier and black.
Yes, I’m thinking something is wrong, too. If I had to guess, it would be size. It’s easy to get that wrong.
It’s possible it could be a melanistic individual, but even so a coati doesn’t get anywhere near the size of a javelina.
Chupacabra?
Porcupine
I’ve seen some big porcupines
By the way, if you see any Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists, you have to throw eggs at them.
Definitely not a porcupine. Best I can figure is that’s it’s a freakishly large dark coati. Or Sasquatch’s dogbear companion.
??? Why egg the bicyclists? In-joke? Movie reference? Environmentalism taken to an extreme? I mean, if they’re on an established trail, they aren’t doing any (additional) harm, are they? I’m whooshed?
(I’m not a cyclist, but get along with them just fine. They warn me when they’re coming through, and I step out of their way.)
I dunno, Trinopus. I assumed for the temerity of their misleading initials. Buncha teeming poseurs!
no eggs were actually lobbed
Oh, well done! Never would’a thought to check that!
re topic, I’m more familiar with the inland ranges of hills and mountains. I have seen badgers and porcupines. The latter are noticeable for their awkward waddling gait.
I’ve also seen some darn shaggy Bobcats (“That’s ‘Robert Cat’ to you, sir!”) but never a black one.
I remember the first time I saw their sign at a race - ‘SDMB’. Hey, I thought…
Oh, and I’m thinking bear also.
