A recent study on the feeding behavior of the Ethiopian wolf, a critically endangered species, has documented an unusual interaction between this species and the Kniphofia foliosa plant. This research was conducted by the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program (EWCP), a joint initiative between the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) at the University of Oxford, the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA), and Dinkenesh Ethiopia.

During the study, researchers observed individual wolves visiting up to 30 flowers on a single route, with individuals from different packs taking advantage of this food source. This behavior is particularly notable as it could represent one of the first documented pollination interactions between a large predator and a plant.

As the wolves feed on the nectar of the Kniphofia foliosa flower, their snouts become covered in pollen, which could facilitate the transfer of pollen from one flower to another. This peculiar interaction highlights the potential role of predators in pollination, a process generally associated with species such as bees, butterflies, and birds.

Wolves nectar
Ethiopian wolf lapping nectar from a Kniphofia foliosa inflorescence. Credit: Adrien Lesaffre

Dr. Sandra Lai, lead scientist of EWCP at the University of Oxford and lead author of the study, emphasized the importance of this discovery. For Lai, these findings illustrate the complexity of the Ethiopian highlands ecosystem, known as the “Roof of Africa,” and how much there is still to learn about species interactions in this unique and biodiverse environment. However, this ecosystem faces a serious threat due to the loss and fragmentation of its natural habitat, which increases the challenges for conserving the Ethiopian wolf, considered the rarest canid in the world.

On the other hand, Professor Claudio Sillero, founder and director of EWCP, recounted his experience witnessing this behavior in the field. According to Sillero, his interest in the Kniphofia foliosa nectar arose when he saw shepherd children in the Bale Mountains licking the flowers. He himself tasted the nectar, which he described as pleasantly sweet, and when he observed the wolves doing the same, he knew they were enjoying this alternative energy source. For Sillero, documenting this behavior as common among Ethiopian wolves and exploring its ecological significance is a significant achievement for conservation research.

The Ethiopian wolf is an iconic and critically endangered species. It is estimated that fewer than 500 individuals survive in their natural habitat, distributed among approximately 99 packs that inhabit only six Afroalpine enclaves in Ethiopia. The importance of these wolves lies not only in their rarity but also in their role within the Afroalpine ecosystem, an extremely sensitive environment unique to the Ethiopian highlands. EWCP, the oldest conservation program in Ethiopia, works to protect natural habitats not only for wolves but also for biodiversity conservation in general and for the benefit of local communities.

The study, published in the journal Ecology, marks a milestone in understanding the role that predators can play in pollination. Pollination is a crucial process for biodiversity, and this finding suggests that even large carnivores, traditionally associated only with hunting and predation, may contribute to plant fertility and ecosystem sustainability.


SOURCES

University of Oxford

Lai, Sandra, Don-Jean Léandri-Breton, et al., Canids as Pollinators? Nectar Foraging by Ethiopian Wolves May Contribute to the Pollination of Kniphofia Foliosa. Ecology e4470. doi.org/10.1002/ecy.4470


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