No Golf No Masters: Celebrating Our Ungovernable Peccary Friends
Summary
Host Dr. James Stout and guest Molly Conger discuss javelinas, clarifying they are peccaries, not pigs, and detailing their biology and destructive impact on golf courses. The episode critiques golf’s excessive water usage in arid regions like Arizona, framing the animals' behavior as a natural response to human habitat alteration. They also touch on invasive species management, the debate over a potential fourth peccary species, and preview upcoming serious topics like cyclospora and agricultural labor rights.
Topics discussed
Sponsor reads: OnDeck, Kewpie Mayo, Resorts World, Hero Bread
Intro: Serious journalism on cyclospora and ag labor
What is a javelina? Biology and appearance
Javelina musk glands and bicycle encounters
Native vs invasive species and helicopter pig hunting
Javelinas in suburbs, lawns, and golf courses
Javelinas as game animals and water sources
Sponsor reads: OnDeck, Kewpie Mayo, Hero Bread
Javelinas destroying golf courses and deterrence methods
Golf as a scourge: Land and water consumption stats
Javelina meat, property rights, and coexistence
Animal rights: Cute vs evil animals like sea lions
Sponsor reads: OnDeck, Kewpie Mayo, Hero Bread
The Cohen Peccary: A giant, solitary peccary species?
Childhood stories: Wrassling warthogs and emus
Outro: Future episodes on cyclospora and fire
Sponsor reads: Resorts World and Women's Pro Baseball
Sponsor read: HomeServe home repairs
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