Javelinas and Texas Ebony Trees in South Texas

Texas Ebony trees (Ebenopsis ebano) is a species of legume native to South Texas. These trees produce large bean pods (see below) that ripen and fall to the ground. They provide food to javelinas (Pecari tajacu) and other wildlife. Using the last five years of iNaturalist javelina sightings, I am examining the relationship between javelinas and staple foods such as prickly pear (Opuntia sp.) and ebony.

The association between javelinas and enboy trees in South Texas is quite strong. Below is a map that shows javelina (black) sightings since January 1, 2017 and Texas ebony trees (green).

As a side story, the first javelinas that I located as part of my multispecies ethnographic research project were at Choke Canyon and it was an ebony tree that led me to the javelinas.