Coyotes are known to be opportunistic eaters: they can eat almost any food that is available. Well, today I watched a coyote find a marshmallow leftover from a family cookout. It had been roasted and had a thin singed crust on one side, but otherwise the plump marshmallow looked okay. The coyote found it, sniffed it, and picked it up, seeming enthusiastic about trying it: “Hmmm, something new!”
I took a picture of the marshmallow after the coyote left
But quickly the coyote discovered something he didn’t like about this food — its stickiness. As I watched, the coyote tried to unstick it from his mouth, but it took some effort — the melted sugar was like glue that wouldn’t let go. Finally he got it off his mouth and let it fall to the ground, and then he walked quickly on. “YUCK!” Roasted marshmallow was not going to be one of his diet items!
Please see another, fascinating, and very different story about marshmallows, written by, and posted on, Out Walking The Dog.
Coyote Yipps 
Sep 28, 2013 @ 19:44:11
Very funny. Oddly, marshmallows are a big hit with raccoons, although I don’t know how they’d feel about roasted ones. When NYC had an outbreak of raccoon rabies a few years ago, the city and the U.S.D.A. launched a major (and highly successful) initiative to trap and vaccinate everyone of Manhattan’s many raccoons. I spoke with the head of the program, who told me marshmallows were the preferred bait. I actually came across one of the traps in Riverside Park on the Upper West Side and, sure enough, it was baited with marshmallows! You can read about it here: http://outwalkingthedog.wordpress.com/2010/11/05/raccoons-marshmallows-and-the-u-s-government/ . I love Coyote Yipps!
Sep 28, 2013 @ 19:53:49
Fascinating, and what a beautiful story! Thank you for sending this to us! I’ll add it to the bottom of the post so that more people will see it. Janet
Sep 28, 2013 @ 21:49:41
That’s great, Janet! FYI: the raccoon rabies was completely controlled without a public panic. Manhattan is quite fascinating in terms of wildlife diseases. We are protected by our island status from some of the dangers of the mainland. But many people don’t realize that mammals DO find their way onto the island, whether by coming over the bridges or by swimming. This includes raccoons, skunks, opossums and … coyotes. We haven’t had a Manhattan coyote in several years, but we will. It’s only a matter of time before another comes down from the Bronx. Seeing a coyote in Central Park in 2010 was a highlight of my wildlife watching, and every year since, when it’s getting time for the young of the previous year to disperse, I keep my eyes wide open, hoping for a sighting.