Attacks spur javelina hunt near Sedona

2 people suffer bites after interacting with animals

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is warning people not feed wildlife, after two people were bitten by javelina near Sedona, forcing authorities to kill all wild javelina in the area.

A 79-year-old woman was bitten by a javelina on Feb. 5 after she tried to stop the wild animal from attacking her dogs. The game and fish officer who responded said the woman had purposely been feeding a squadron of javelina at her home.

The woman was attacked in her neighborhood just southwest of Sedona. She was treated in Sedona and released from a hospital.

A second incident happened on Feb. 25. The agency said a man was bitten by a javelina in Oak Creek Village near Sedona. He was feeding the animals in his backyard, and one attacked when he didn’t feed them quickly enough, officials said.

Game and Fish officials said feeding wild animals not only can endanger humans but can result in injury or death to the animals that threatened any individuals.

The Sedona-area incidents prompted the department to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to kill all javelina within a

quarter-mile radius of the victims’ residences.

“The decision to lethally remove the animals was based on the attacks, an imminent public safety threat created by intentional feeding, the habituation and loss of fear to humans by the javelina, and a concern for possible rabies,” The Arizona Game and Fish Department said in a statement.

Just eight months ago, a javelina tested positive for rabies in Sedona, according to the department.

All the animals killed after the attacks were sent to a lab for rabies testing, the department said. So far, none of the animals near the victims’ houses have tested positive for rabies, though some test results are still pending.

Arizona Game and Fish said they don’t want to be in a position where they have to make the difficult decision to kill wildlife, and people can help by not feeding any animals out in the wild.

If an animal is behaving unusually or makes an appearance on your property, the agency said, residents should contact local law enforcement or the appropriate county community health services department.