Tucsonan Damion Alexander posted a short video of a running javelina on Facebook Feb. 22, and it has gone viral, spawning countless memes and global news coverage, from the New York Times to news.com.au in Australia, which took pains to explain that a javelina is “also known as a peccary or skunk pig.”
The video was captured by Alexander, a Tucson real estate agent, while on his way to a house with a client, the Arizona Daily Star reported. It shows the javelina sprinting by Los Portales Apartments in east Tucson. On Twitter, @javelinarunning sets the video to various pieces of music, with users sending requests and posting exuberant comments.
“One of the greatest joys of living in the Old Pueblo is the diversity of our wildlife,” says Alexander, who is a bike enthusiast and AJP board member as well as a realtor. “For years I’ve been hiking and biking in remote parts of Pima Canyon photographing and taking video of everything from bugs and flowers to lizards, snakes, bobcats, bighorn sheep, and javelina. We live in such an incredible community and it’s a pleasure knowing I contributed to Tucson being in the limelight for a few minutes.
“This video was part luck but it also was possible because I’ve been working for years to be able to get my phone out, camera on and have a steady hand focusing on the subject. On Instagram I’m BIKEPILGRIM to see more images and videos from our backyard playground,” he adds.
