Wild Javelina With Hankering For Cheetos Destroys Car Near Sedona

CORNVILLE, AZ — A wild javelina with a hankering for Cheetos severely damaged a car near Sedona last week after it became stuck in the vehicle overnight.

The javelina, described by Arizona Game & Fish officials as a hoofed mammal that resembles a wild pig but is actually from the peccary family, jumped into a Subaru station wagon Wednesday in search of a "midnight Cheeto snack," the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

The car's hatch was left open during the night in Cornville, about 85 miles north of Phoenix, and the javelina licked the bag of Cheetos until no crumbs were left. But in its snack search, the animal tore off a portion of the dashboard, authorities said, as well as the inside of the passenger door. It also managed to knock the vehicle into neutral, causing it to roll out of the driveway and across the street. The vehicle finally stopped under some trees.

No animals or humans were hurt during the escapade, the sheriff's office said. A deputy safely opened the hatch, and the javelina carefully jumped out and ran off back into the wilderness.

"As a reminder, if you’re in the Southwest, you probably already know it’s best not to feed javelina," the sheriff's office said. "Yes, it’s tempting, but when wild animals are fed by people it draws them into neighborhoods and can create unnecessary conflicts. Please encourage your neighbors not to either."

Heidi Howard, public affairs officer for the sheriff's office, told The Arizona Republic in an email she didn't know if it had ever received a call quite like this one.

"It’s not typically something folks will call (law enforcement) for," she said.

Javelina are common in much of central and southern Arizona, including the outskirts of the Phoenix area. They are most active during the night but can be active during the day during cold weather.

State officials said javelina will occasionally encounter people in semi-urban areas near a wash or other natural desert. While they typically cause only minor problems for people — usually by surprising them or eating a few plants — people should "NEVER feed javelina," the state's Game & Fish department said on its website.

"This can cause them to become regular visitors and lose their fear of people, creating problems for the neighborhood and often leading to the death of the javelina," officials said.

They have also been known to bite people — though nearly all such incidents involve people feeding the animals — and the bites can leave serious wounds.

"Defensive javelina behavior may include charging, teeth clacking, or a barking, growling sound," officials said. "Javelina may act defensively when cornered, to protect their young, or when they hear or smell a dog."