Animals In The Desert That Eat Cactus
Insects such as bees and butterflies drink the nectar of the cactus flower.
Animals in the desert that eat cactus. Some of the animals that can eat cactus are Camels Ground Squirrel Jackrabbits Gophers Prairie dogs Galapagos Land Iguana Horses Packrats Woodpecker Eastern Cottontail Collared Peccary some cows and horses Alpaca etc. The collared peccary a type of hog eats the prickly pear cactus. Camels are often called the ships of the desertDomesticated more than 3000 years ago the animals can tote 200 pounds dozens of miles.
North Scottsdale resident Jim Bamberg recently came across the critter outside his home. Jackrabbits the ones with the large ears eat prickly pear particularly at the base of the plant where there are few or no spines. The Cactus Wren needs very little water and can obtain much or all of its water from the food it eats.
A number ofinsects are parasites on these cacti. Many small animals such as bats and mice eat cactus in the dessert. Insects are the main food of all desert animals.
The jackrabbit normally eats grasses but it will eat cacti during droughts. Some of the animals that can eat cactus are camels ground squirrel jackrabbits gophers prairie dogs galapagos land iguana horses packrats woodpecker eastern cottontail collared peccary some cows and horses alpaca etc. The carnivorous American Dippers which may appear at streams issuing from the mountains into the desert during the winter months feed on aquatic animal life at the bottom of the rushing waters.
The herbivorous White-winged Doves abundant across much of the desert brushlands eat the seeds of the ephemeral plans and the fruits of prickly pear cacti. Usually the wrens will build nests in the prickly spines of a cactus such as a cholla see picture at right. In Desert most of the vegetation available are cacti Did you know there are other animals that eat cactus.
Cacti are home to desert animals including many types of birds. Many small animals such as bats and mice eat cactus in the dessert. Some rodents rabbits andhares.