Introduction
(Photograph = Coyote with Opuntia, Searchnetmedia.com)
Coyotes are a wonder animal that we like to mythologize. They are wiley, western animals that have moved into much of the Midwest and East. What do they eat?
The Details
Coyotes eat just about anything that is small, from beetles to rabbits to fruit. Yes, coyotes eat fruit. A few studies have examined the scat (poop) of coyotes and found Opuntia seeds (along with other plant seeds).
Some of the Opuntia seeds (about 10%) actually germinated easily right after recovery from the scat. But, that is not necessarily a good thing. Opuntia seedlings seem to do best when the seeds reside in the soil seed bank for a year or more. The seeds usually pick spring to germinate, when there is water and warmth. If they germinate in summer, when cactus fruit is ripe, they may have no chance to survive in the late summer heat and drought.
But, the Opuntia gains something. The coyote spreads the remaining 90% of the seeds to new areas, an important benefit to the plant.
