Wild pig with a mango

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘From Your Window.’ See more responses here.

There’s a very large mango tree in the yard, which is an erratic producer of fruit. Some years, there’s not much. Other years, the tree looks like an overdecorated Christmas tree. In those times, it’s best not to spend much time under the tree, particularly when it’s windy, because the thud of fruit hitting the ground is frequent (though, standing under that tree is risky any time, since large branches are prone to breaking off).

When fruit does start to fall, wild pigs move in. There are always windfalls available and the pigs love this easily-accessed treat. The pig population around here varies, mostly depending on whether hunters are active in the area. Pigs are nocturnal, so do most of their foraging at night, but the younger ones are more likely to venture out in daylight hours, either because they haven’t yet learned how dangerous that is, or because it’s harder for them to get a look-in when the big pigs are around.

This year, there have been as many as nine pigs in the yard at one time, but this younger pig was out by itself. As there were quite a few mangos on the ground, it was being quite choosy as to which ones to eat. Hard ones will be shunned, unless that’s all there is. This mango was just right, and the pig was tucking in until something disturbed it and it ran off, but not without its prize.

Mostly the pigs are a source of entertainment and don’t bother me. The exception is when they roam past the bedroom window in the middle of the night and get into arguments, grunting and squealing. They also have a very ripe smell, which drifts in through the open window. Fortunately, they’re easy to disperse. I just do my large, angry dog impersonation, consisting of a few loud barks, and they disappear like they’ve been shot out of a cannon.

15 thoughts on “Wild pig with a mango”

    1. Graham's avatarGraham Post author

      It varies from year to year. This year the tree was very sparse except for one section which was overloaded. Some years the whole tree is thick with fruit, others there’s not much at all. I don’t know why that is but it’s an old tree so perhaps bits are dying off.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Graham's avatarGraham Post author

      I like the pigs so long as they’re not too close to the house during the night. Then they can be annoying to say the least. Also, if I had a garden it would be a different story. They’d dig that up in a heartbeat.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Graham's avatarGraham Post author

      The smaller pigs are the ones that I see more during daylight, but some of them seem more adept at finding a good windfall and they’re nimble enough to evade the bigger pigs.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Graham's avatarGraham Post author

      I guess it’s what’s called a guilty pleasure. It’s scaring them, which is not nice, but it keeps them on their toes or hooves, which they need to stay a few steps ahead of dogs and hunters.

      Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.