Wondering about how they might startle a tourist.
I was surprised my husband saw them at all. I’ve been in Phoenix since 1969 and have never seen one and I’ve been on many a trip to the desert and way out in it. I’ve been to Echo Canyon, which is the north side or back of Camelback mountain, and really a hiking trail area. It’s beautiful, it’s wild and I’ve into it several times, never saw any javalinas. They’re pretty shy of people. https://www.visitphoenix.com/sonoran-desert/parks/camelback-mountain/
Also in all the time I’ve been here I’ve only seen one tarantual, long long ago way out in the desert where it was extremely devoid of any humans but for me and my brother. We stopped the car about 60 feet away and watched it slowly cross a dirt road we were on.
I’ve seen one owl, a little pygmy owl and a baby, he was the cutest thing. We were in a pool at a luxury hotel close to Camelback mountain. Flew over to the fence around the pool and stared at me. I’ve only seen on scorpion and that did freak me out.
Pretty much the extent of my wild animal spottings here. Oh, an occasional coyote, way out by the Superstition mountains, trotting down the road. We do have them here in my area but I have never seen one.
Really even though I live within sight of Camelback mountain there is nothing horrible like that coming around in my yard.