Today I saw another coyote pick up the same snake that was rolled on on September 4th: Yet Another Snake Rub. The snake was about where it had been left the last time I saw it. This time, this coyote picked it up and carried it only a few paces and then buried it, using only its muzzle. The coyote did not roll on it. The snake was placed on the ground, leaves were moved aside and leaves were moved back. If I had not seen this happen, I would never have known that a snake was there — the burial was totally inconspicuous. The entire event took about a minute and a half. I’m wondering why this behavior took place? And why had not the first coyote buried this snake? I’ve seen a number of snakes rolled on, but they were always just left where they were. Related to this, I saw a coyote capture and kill a gopher, and then bury it instead of consuming it right away: A Burial: coyote behavior. Also, there has been an observation of a coyote burying a rock!! Photos here are of the burying and the burial mound. Unfortunately, I did not get a photo of the coyote holding the dried, dead snake this time, but it looked exactly the same as the coyote carrying the snake in Yet Another Snake Rub.
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