Native Canines' Sweet Secret....
Did you know native Canines (Canids) consume high quantities of fruit, seasonally? The truth is pure carnivores are a rarity in the animal world; and native Wolves, Coyotes, and Foxes all take advantage of native fruit producing species. Once upon a time, when wolf populations were still healthy in the Eastern half of the U.S., they presumably ate native Persimmons as their Cousins; the Coyote, Gray Fox, and Red Fox have all been documented consuming in mass when the fruits fall to the ground in the fall. Wolves have been pushed to the western and northern extents of their range - outside of the natural range of native Persimmons (Diospyros virginiana). So instead they've been documented eating Wild Plums such as Prunus americana in mass, when available.
It turns out, for these large fruiting species; Native Canines are excellent seed dispersing animals. They're more likely to chew the pulp and swallow then pass the seed than other mammals such as Deer, Raccoon, and Possum who often spit out the seeds instead of swallowing them. Consequently; Wolves, Foxes, and Coyotes payback the gift of fruit to these native plants more effectively through spreading their seeds further away from the mother plants as they patrol their territories.
We might as well deem the native Persimmon the fruit of the Canine as in one study not only did Persimmon occurr in 95.7% of all coyote scats collected in the fall; it also composed the majority of the calories consumed in the fall. In the Northeast, Foxes favor Beach Plums (Prunus maritima) while in the West the same species of Grey Fox and Red Fox favor Juniper Berries and Prickly Pear Cactus Fruits. In Utah, one study has shown that the most important foods for Grey Foxes are 1st: Fruits and Vegetation, 2nd: Insects, and 3rd: Mammals . A few other native fruits that our native canines favor are Black Cherries (Prunus serotina), Thicket Cherry (Prunus virginiana) Wild Grapes, Blueberries, Huckleberries, Blackberries and Hawthorn - though this doesn't mean your dog can eat these fruits as Grapes have proven poisonous to domesticated dogs.
The next time you're wondering how this Wild Plum or Native Persimmon tree sapling ended up appearing on a wood edge or open field; suspect that the local coyotes or fox may have had a tooth in the matter.
 Prickly Pear Cactus fruits, favored by Foxes and Coyotes
Blueberries, a midsummer vitamin boost for native Canines
Large native persimmons, rich in sugar enabling the Canines to pack on fat before winter.
Black cherry fruits which drop to the ground once ripe where foxes and coyotes consume them. |
