Ethiopian wolves defy norms, become unexpected pollinators
Scientists have discovered that Ethiopian wolves consume flower nectar, making them pollinators much like butterflies or bees. This newly observed behaviour of predators was recorded in Ethiopia.
Ethiopian wolves, also known as Abyssinian wolves, surprised scientists with their unusual behaviour. Researchers from the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP) found that these rare predators consume the nectar of red hot poker flowers, which aligns them with pollinators such as bees or butterflies.
An individual wolf can visit up to 30 red hot poker flowers in a single outing. These low, bottlebrush-like perennials are regularly visited by wolves from different groups. Older individuals teach the younger ones how to utilize this food source. As they attempt to access the nectar, wolves brush their snouts against the entire plant, helping transfer pollen between flowers and their clusters.
This discovery highlights how much there is still to learn about one of the most endangered predators. It also underscores the complexity of interactions between different predator species living in this beautiful part of Africa. This unique and biologically diverse ecosystem remains threatened due to habitat loss and fragmentation, as pointed out by the study's lead author, Dr. Sandra Lai of EWCP, as quoted by the Polish Press Agency.
Ecological significance of the observations
The behaviour of the wolves may be the first known case of a pollination interaction between a large predator and a plant. Dr. Sandra Lai from EWCP emphasizes that this discovery reveals the complexity of interactions in Ethiopia's ecosystem, which is threatened by habitat loss.
Prof. Claudio Sillero from the University of Oxford, founder of EWCP, recalls discovering the nectar of the red hot poker flower while watching shepherd children who were licking the plant. "When I later saw the wolves doing the same — I knew they liked it and were simultaneously using an unusual energy source," says Sillero, as quoted by PAP.
The Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) is the rarest species of the canid family, found only in the mountains of Ethiopia. Fewer than 500 individuals live in the wild. The EWCP, in collaboration with the University of Oxford and the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority, aims to protect this endangered species.
