The days are growing longer and the weather is getting hotter.

Here in Tucson, my morning walks with Bao have to be carefully timed. Too early, and we run into javelina, coyotes and bobcats. But if we leave it too late, the rattlesnakes are awake.

Javelina almost always graze in packs of three or more, and they hate dogs and will attack without provocation. They are also incredibly ugly. Even the babies are ugly.

Coyotes have been particularly bad this year. There are quite a few more of them than in previous years, and they are fearless. The women who lives down the street was walking her two large dogs the other day when she suddenly realized that they'd been surrounded by a pack of seven coyotes. Seven of them! Can you imagine it? She ran, and the coyotes chased her all the way to the gate. Scary stuff.

The bobcats tend to be nocturnal, but several neighbors have spotted a mountain lion (much bigger than a bobcat) prowling around an hour or so after dawn.

As I write this, a very large snake is making its way across my front yard. I can't tell if it's a rattlesnake, or not. But I can tell you this: I have no intention of going out and taking a closer look!